amateur
gb/ˈæmətˌʊɹ/ us/ˈæmətˌʊɹ/
B1
English
~ 2000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
Person doing activity for pleasure
Someone who does an activity because they like it, not as their job.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is an amateur [in/at something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'amateur' with 'beginner'; however, an amateur can be very skilled but is not paid for the work.
Synonyms
nonprofessional (More formal term; emphasizes lack of professional status without implying skill level.)
|
hobbyist (Focuses on doing something as a hobby rather than work.)
Antonyms
professional (Someone who is paid to do the activity as their job.)
Collocations
keen amateur
|talented amateur
|amateur photographer
|amateur athlete
|amateur musician
Themes
hobbies
|work
|sports
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She’s an amateur photographer who loves taking pictures of nature.
- Many amateur runners joined the city marathon.
- He started as an amateur painter but now sells his work.
Learner examples
- I am an amateur cook.
- My father is an amateur singer.
- She is an amateur in tennis.
adjective
B1
property
2
Non-professional in nature or quality
Done by someone who is not paid or trained for the activity.
Usage pattern:
an amateur [activity/attempt/performance]
Synonyms
nonprofessional (Neutral description of unpaid or informal status.)
Antonyms
professional (Describes work done by someone with formal training and payment.)
Collocations
amateur performance
|amateur competition
|amateur club
Themes
work
|sports
|arts
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The show featured both professional and amateur actors.
- He gave an impressive performance for an amateur team.
- Amateur astronomy is a popular pastime.
Learner examples
- This is an amateur football match.
- They are amateur actors in the play.
- I like amateur art shows.
Noun
informal
B2
entity
3
Unskilled or incompetent person
Someone who is not good at what they are doing.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is such an amateur at [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may mistakenly think this sense always means unpaid; here, it focuses on lack of skill, often with a negative tone.
Synonyms
novice (Focuses on being new to something rather than lacking skill generally.)
|
incompetent (Stronger, more negative term implying inability to do something well.)
Antonyms
expert (A person with great skill or knowledge in an area.)
Collocations
complete amateur
|such an amateur
Themes
daily life
|work
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Don’t let an amateur handle the wiring—it could be dangerous.
- He’s a complete amateur when it comes to cooking.
- You can tell this report was written by an amateur.
Learner examples
- I am an amateur at driving.
- He is such an amateur in cooking.
- She is a complete amateur with computers.
Grammar
Dictionary form
amateur
IPA
GB/ˈæmətˌʊɹ/
US/ˈæmətˌʊɹ/
Syllables & stress
am - a - teur (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (am)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: amateur
Noun
- Base: amateur
- Plural: amateurs
Word family
Forms
amateurs
noun
Core family
amateurish
adjective
Related words
amateurism
noun
Negative and opposite forms
professional
noun B1
Advanced or less common
amateurishly
adverb
Expressions
amateur hour
1/ˈæmətˌʊɹ ˈaʊɚ/
fixed phrase
informal
Unprofessional situation or performance
A time or situation when people act without skill or professionalism.
Examples
- The meeting was completely disorganized—it was amateur hour.
- That sloppy presentation felt like amateur hour.
rank amateur
1/ɹˈæŋk ˈæmətˌʊɹ/
fixed phrase
informal
Completely inexperienced person
A person with almost no skill or experience in something.
Examples
- He’s a rank amateur when it comes to fixing cars.
- You can’t trust a rank amateur with such an important job.