amateur

 
Pronunciation: /ˈamətə, -tʃə, -tjʊə, ˌaməˈtəː/

noun

  • a person who engages in a pursuit, especially a sport, on an unpaid basis: it takes five years for a top amateur to become a real Tour de France rider his last fight as an amateur
  • a person who is contemptibly inept at a particular activity: that bunch of stumbling amateurs

adjective

  • engaging or engaged in without payment; non-professional: an amateur archaeologist amateur athletics
  • done in an inept or unskilful way: it’s all so amateur!

Derivatives

amateurism

noun

Origin:

late 18th century: from French, from Italian amatore, from Latin amator 'lover', from amare 'to love'

Spelling help

Spell amateur (a French word) with -eur at the end.