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dilettante

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dilettante

(dɪlətænti, US -tɑːnt)

Word forms: plural dilettantes, plural dilettanti

countable noun

You can use dilettante to talk about someone who seems interested in a subject, especially in art, but who does not really know very much about it.

[formal, disapproval]

Synonyms: amateur, aesthete, dabbler, trifler More Synonyms of dilettante

dilettante in British English

(ˌdɪlɪˈtɑːntɪ)

nounWord forms: plural -tantes or -tanti (-ˈtɑːntɪ)

a person whose interest in a subject is superficial rather than professional

a person who loves the arts

adjective

of or characteristic of a dilettante

Derived forms

dilettantish (ˌdiletˈtantish) or dilettanteish (ˌdiletˈtanteish)

adjective

dilettantism (ˌdiletˈtantism) or dilettanteism (ˌdiletˈtanteism)

noun

Word origin

C18: from Italian, from dilettare to delight, from Latin dēlectāre

dilettante in American English

(ˈdɪləˌtɑnt; ˈdɪləˌtænt; ˌ dɪləˈtɑnt; ˈdɪləˈtænt; occas. ˌ dɪləˈtɑnti; ˌdɪləˈtænti)

nounWord forms: plural ˈdiletˌtantes or ˌdiletˈtanˌti (ˌdɪləˈtənˌtaɪ; ˌdɪləˈtənti)

1. Rare

a person who loves the fine arts

a person who follows an art or science only for amusement and in a superficial way; dabbler

adjective

of or characteristic of a dilettante

SIMILAR WORDS: ˈaesˌthete, ˈamateur

Derived forms

dilettantish (ˌdiletˈtantish)

adjective

dilettantism (ˌdiletˈtantˌism)

noun or ˌdiletˈtanteˌism

Word origin

It < prp. of dilettare, to delight < L delectare, to charm, delight