plural amateurs
1
: a person who does something (such as a sport or hobby) for pleasure and not as a job
She played soccer as an amateur before turning professional.
These photos were taken by both amateurs and professionals.
2
: a person who does something poorly : a person who is not skillful at a job or other activity
The people running that company are a bunch of amateurs.
Only amateurs make this kind of mistake.
He's a mere amateur when it comes to cooking. [=he doesn't know how to cook well]
Cite this Entry
“Amateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/amateur. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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