nonprofessional
gb/nˌɑnpɹəfˈɛʃənəl/ us/nˌɑnpɹəfˈɛʃənəl/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
not done by professionals
Not done by a professional; done by an amateur.
Usage pattern:
[nonprofessional] [person/activity/work]
Common mistake:
Often confused with unprofessional, which means behaving in a bad or inappropriate way at work.
Synonyms
amateur (Most common synonym; often emphasizes lack of paid status or formal training.)
|
nonpro (Informal shortened form, used mainly in sports contexts.)
Antonyms
professional (Done by or belonging to a trained, paid professional.)
Collocations
nonprofessional athlete
|nonprofessional player
|nonprofessional artist
|nonprofessional photographer
|nonprofessional writer
|nonprofessional level
|nonprofessional work
|nonprofessional competition
|nonprofessional league
|nonprofessional production
Themes
work
|sports
|education
|media
Examples
- The video quality is decent, but it’s clearly a nonprofessional production.
- She plays in a nonprofessional league on weekends.
- The charity relies on nonprofessional volunteers to run events.
Learner examples
- He is a nonprofessional photographer.
- This is nonprofessional work.
adjective
formal
C1
property
2
not related to one’s job
Not connected to someone’s job.
Usage pattern:
[nonprofessional] [interest/activity/relationship]
Common mistake:
Do not use unprofessional here; unprofessional means ‘not acceptable at work,’ not ‘outside work.’
Synonyms
personal (Often broader; can include family and private life.)
|
outside of work (Common paraphrase; less formal.)
Antonyms
professional (Connected with someone’s job or professional duties.)
Collocations
nonprofessional interests
|nonprofessional activities
|nonprofessional matters
|nonprofessional relationship
|nonprofessional contact
|nonprofessional time
|nonprofessional goals
Themes
work
|daily_life
Examples
- Please limit the meeting to professional and nonprofessional matters related to the trip.
- They kept their nonprofessional friendship separate from the workplace.
- Her nonprofessional interests include gardening and jazz music.
Learner examples
- We talked about nonprofessional topics.
- This is a nonprofessional activity.
Noun
formal
C1
role
3
person who is not a professional
A person who is not a professional.
Usage pattern:
a/the nonprofessional (in [field])
Common mistake:
In everyday speech, people usually say an amateur rather than a nonprofessional.
Synonyms
amateur (More common; may imply doing it for enjoyment rather than as a job.)
|
layperson (Emphasizes ‘not an expert,’ especially in law, medicine, or technical topics.)
Antonyms
professional (A person who works in a job requiring specialized training or who is paid for the activity.)
|
expert (Opposite in terms of knowledge/skill, even if not paid.)
Collocations
trained nonprofessional
|nonprofessional volunteer
|nonprofessional caregiver
|nonprofessional participant
|nonprofessional observer
Themes
work
|education
Examples
- The course is designed for both professionals and nonprofessionals.
- The manual is written so that a nonprofessional can understand it.
- In court, the expert explained the results in terms a nonprofessional could follow.
Learner examples
- I am a nonprofessional in this field.
Grammar
Dictionary form
nonprofessional
IPA
GB/nˌɑnpɹəfˈɛʃənəl/
US/nˌɑnpɹəfˈɛʃənəl/
Syllables & stress
non - pro - fes - sion - al (5 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (fes)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: nonprofessional
Noun
- Base: nonprofessional
- Plural: nonprofessionals
Word family
Forms
nonprofessionals
noun
Core family
Related words
professionalism
noun B2
Negative and opposite forms
unprofessional
adjective
unprofessionally
adverb
Advanced or less common
professionalize
verb
professionalization
noun
Expressions
nonprofessional caregiver
1/nˌɑnpɹəfˈɛʃənəl kˈɛɹɡˌɪvɚ/
fixed phrase
unpaid, untrained carer
Someone who cares for another person but is not a trained nurse or carer.
Examples
- Many patients depend on a nonprofessional caregiver after surgery.
- The program offers advice to nonprofessional caregivers looking after elderly relatives.
nonprofessional conduct
1/nˌɑnpɹəfˈɛʃənəl kˈɑndʌkt/
fixed phrase
formal
workplace-inappropriate behavior
Bad or inappropriate behavior at work.
Examples
- The company policy lists harassment as nonprofessional conduct.
- He was warned that further nonprofessional conduct could lead to dismissal.
nonprofessional staff
1/nˌɑnpɹəfˈɛʃənəl stˈæf/
fixed phrase
business
support staff, not professional roles
Staff who are not in professional jobs.
Examples
- The hospital employs both professional and nonprofessional staff.
- Training is provided to nonprofessional staff who handle customer calls.