amateur: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to formal; can be pejorative or complimentary depending on context.
Quick answer
What does “amateur” mean?
A person who engages in an activity for pleasure rather than as a profession.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who engages in an activity for pleasure rather than as a profession; someone lacking formal skill or training.
Can refer to someone who is unskilled or inept in a particular area; also used to describe work that is not professional in quality.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling and pronunciation differ. In both varieties, the word can describe sports participants who are not paid, though this distinction has eroded in professional sports.
Connotations
Slightly more likely to be pejorative in American English ('amateurish'). In UK contexts, can still carry a positive sense of principled participation (e.g., 'amateur dramatics').
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both dialects.
Grammar
How to Use “amateur” in a Sentence
amateur in [field]amateur at [activity]an amateur [noun phrase]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “amateur” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Rare as verb) 'He amateured his way through the tournament.'
American English
- (Rare as verb) 'She's just amateuring in the stock market.'
adverb
British English
- (Rare/Non-standard) 'He played quite amateurishly.'
American English
- (Rare/Non-standard) 'The job was done amateurly.'
adjective
British English
- She took part in an amateur boxing match.
American English
- It was an amateur video, but it went viral.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Pejorative: 'The report looked amateur and undermined our credibility.'
Academic
Descriptive: 'The study was conducted by a team of amateur astronomers.'
Everyday
Self-deprecating: 'I'm just an amateur when it comes to gardening.'
Technical
Historical/Legal: 'He maintained his amateur status to compete in the Olympics.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “amateur”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “amateur”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “amateur”
- Misspelling as 'amatuer'.
- Confusing 'amateur' (noun/adjective) with 'amateurish' (adjective, always negative).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. In contexts like sports (historically), astronomy, or arts, it can be neutral or positive, describing someone passionate but unpaid. Tone and context are key.
A beginner lacks experience. An amateur lacks professional status or payment. An expert can be an amateur if they don't do it for a living.
In American English, the 't' often becomes a voiced flap or a 'ch' sound (/tʃɚ/), like in 'nature'. In British RP, it's a clear /t/.
Extremely rarely and informally ('to amateur around'). The standard adjective for describing poor quality is 'amateurish'.
A person who engages in an activity for pleasure rather than as a profession.
Amateur is usually neutral to formal; can be pejorative or complimentary depending on context. in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A gifted amateur”
- “An amateur night (pejorative)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of AMATEUR as 'I AM A TOUR-ist' in a professional field – just visiting, not living there.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROFESSIONALISM IS A JOURNEY; AMATEUR STATUS IS BEING AT THE START or VISITING.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'amateur' MOST LIKELY to be a compliment?