dilettante

English

WOTD – 25 July 2010

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Italian dilettante, prop. present participle of dilettare (to delight), from Latin dēlectāre (to delight).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /dɪləˈtɒnti/
    • (file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈdɪlɪˌtɑnt/
    • (file)

Noun

dilettante (plural dilettanti or dilettantes)

  1. An amateur, someone who dabbles in a field out of casual interest rather than as a profession or serious interest.
    Synonyms: amateur, dabbler
    Antonym: professional
  2. (sometimes offensive) A person with a general but superficial interest in any art or a branch of knowledge.

Usage notes

This word is derived from Italian, not from French in which the -ante ending would be feminine. It is therefore correct for a person of any gender.

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

See also

Adjective

dilettante (comparative more dilettante, superlative most dilettante)

  1. Pertaining to or like a dilettante.

Translations

Further reading

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /di.lɛ.tɑ̃t/, /di.le.tɑ̃t/
  • (file)

Noun

dilettante m or f (plural dilettantes)

  1. dilettante

Further reading

Interlingua

Noun

dilettante (plural dilettantes)

  1. dilettante

Italian

Etymology

From dilettare (to delight).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /di.letˈtan.te/
  • Rhymes: -ante
  • Hyphenation: di‧let‧tàn‧te

Noun

dilettante m or f by sense (plural dilettanti)

  1. amateur
  2. dilettante

Descendants

  • English: dilettante
  • German: Dilettant

Adjective

dilettante (plural dilettanti)

  1. amateur
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