Amateur is the correct spelling & is derived from the French word meaning to love. In modern English, amateur is used to describe a person the performs an activity out of love or passion.
There are many different types of amateurs including sports, enthusiasts, hobbyists, historians, chefs, and more.
In this post, we’ll dive deeper into the spelling of amateur vs amateur and how to use them correctly in your writing. We’ll even give you some synonyms you can use to add variety to your writing!
Which Spelling Is Correct: Amatuer or Amateur?
Amateur is the correct spelling. The word amateur was adopted from the French language into the English language many years ago. Its history dates back to the core latin word ‘amare’, which means to love. The correct spelling remained the same.
Amatuer is a common misspelling & typographical mistake made by new writers.
What Is The Definition Of Amateur?
An amateur is a person who engages in different activities, such as a sport, hobby, or artistic pursuit but is not a professional.
The term amateur originates from the French word amateur, meaning “lover” or “enthusiast”. In the English language, amateurs are people that participate in a specific activity because of their love or passion for the activity. However, being an amateur does not necessarily signal skill level or credibility.
The difference between amateurs and professionals is not always black and white. Especially because people can switch between the two categories based on their specific level of commitment, experience, and whether they earn their living from the activity.
What Are Different Types Of Amateurs?
The type of amateur changes depending on the specific activity a person engages in. Here is a list of the different types of amateurs that can exist.
- Sports Amateurs: Soccer, baseball, basketball, golf, etc.
- Hobbyist Amateurs: Photography enthusiasts, amateur astronomers, amateur photographer, coin collectors, gardeners, etc.
- Artistic Amateurs: Musicians, painters, writers, actors, etc.
- Amateur Historians: People that engage in historical research, preservation, or reenactments as a hobby.
- Amateur Chefs: Cooking enthusiasts that are not trained chefs.
Sentence Examples Using Amateur As A Noun
Here are 3 sentence examples that use the word amateur as a noun.
- The amateur played the piano with such skill and passion that the audience was captivated by the heartfelt performance.
- As an amateur in the field of photography, she constantly sought opportunities to improve her technique and capture breathtaking images.
- The art exhibition showcased the works of both professional artists and talented amateurs, highlighting the creativity and diversity of the local artistic community.
Just as we saw in our post comparing the words successfully vs succesfully, even small spelling mistakes can change the meaning of your sentence.
Sentence Examples Using Amateur As An Adjective
Here are 3 sentence examples that use the word amateur as an adjective.
- Despite being an amateur photographer, she captured stunning landscapes that rivaled those of professional photographers.
- The amateur chef prepared a gourmet meal for her friends, impressing them with her culinary skills and attention to detail.
- The amateur actor delivered a heartfelt and convincing performance, demonstrating a natural talent for the craft.
Just like we saw in our post comparing the phrases “mine as well vs might as well” even a small spelling mistake can make a big difference.
What are some common misconceptions about amateurs?
The 2 biggest misconceptions about amateurs are that they lack skill and seriousness. Just because someone is an amateur does not mean they are not skilled or talented. Many amateurs dedicate significant time and effort to developing their craft.
Another common misconception is that amateur events are not serious. Although amateurs often play for the love of the game, an amateur event can become very competitive.
What Are Synonyms For Amateur?
Here are some common synonyms for the word amateur.
- Nonprofessional
- Novice
- Enthusiast
- Hobbyist
- Dilettante
These synonyms capture the idea of someone engaging in an activity without professional training. Remember, just like we saw in our comparison of the phrase “looking forward to seeing you“, synonyms can add variety to your writing.
Popularity Comparison
Google’s Ngram viewer shows that “amateur” is far more common than the spelling “amateur”. This makes sense because “amatuer” is not a proper word. However, as we saw in our comparison of the word dying vs dieing, even wrong spellings can become popular in published writing.
Are There Other Common Misspellings Of Amateur?
Below is a list of 4 common misspellings of the word amateur.
- Amature
- Amatuer
- Ametuer
- Amachure
Frequently Asked Questions
The word amateur is pronounced as “AM-uh-chur.”
Yes, amateur can be used as an adjective and a noun.
Yes, amateur is the opposite of a professional. However, an amateur could be more talented and experienced than a professional. They just choose to not make it their profession.
The Bottom Line
By now you should be an expert in the spelling of amateur. Whether you are an amateur painter, golfer, or photographer, you can still have a high level of skill without making it your profession. The spelling amateur is not correct and should not be used in your writing. If you need help with other spelling rules like this, consider using our own Spell Checking software to make things easy!