Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1700-1800
Language: French
Origin: Latin amator 'lover', from amare 'to love'

amateur

 noun
     
am‧a‧teur [countable]
1 someone who does an activity just for pleasure, not as their job [≠ professional]:
a gifted amateur
Mickelson won his first major golf tournament while still an amateur.
2 informal someone who you think is not very skilled at something:
You English are a bunch of amateurs when it comes to romance.
—amateur adjective:
an amateur orchestra
amateur dramatics British English (=producing or acting in plays as an interest)
—amateurism noun [uncountable]
well-meaning amateurism
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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