amateur English · revision 359

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈæ.mə.tə/ ''(UK)''; /ˈæ.mə.t͡ʃɚ/, /ˈæ.mə.t͡ʃʊɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|amateur|t=lover]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline) [[der|la|amātor|t=lover, friend]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|la|amāre|t=to love]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995) French had restored the Latin-shaped form in the 16th century in place of Old French ''ameour''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A lover or admirer of something; one who has a taste for an art or pursuit (1784).^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “a person who pursues an art or activity as a pastime rather than as a profession” followed in 1786,^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) a meaning that had already developed in French.^(AHD) Because amateurs often fall short of professional skill, the word soon took on a disparaging sense as well (1814),^(OED 1989)^(AHD) though in sport it was long the professional who was looked down on.^(Etymonline) The adjectival use dates from about 1838.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1784 – a lover or admirer of something.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1786 – one who pursues an activity as a pastime, not a profession.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1814 – used disparagingly, of unskilled work.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1838 – as an adjective.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who takes part in an art, science, study or sport for pleasure rather than as a profession.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An athlete who has never competed for money.^(AHD)^(RHWU)

+ # A person who lacks professional skill.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An admirer or devotee.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Done by or made up of amateurs; non-professional.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Unskilful.^(AHD)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[amateurism]]

+ * [[amateurish]]

+ * [[amateurishly]]

+ * [[amateurishness]]

+ * [[amateur night]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[amatory]]

+ * [[amorous]]

+ * [[dilettante]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Several nouns share the sense of someone who pursues an activity without professional skill: a ''dabbler'' takes it up lightly, a ''dilettante'' is a superficial dabbler, and a ''tyro'' is a beginner.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}