Etymology of the English word amateur
the English word
amateurderived from the French word
amateurderived from the Latin word
amator (amateur, dilettante; lover; friend, devotee)
derived from the Latin word
amare (love, like; fall in love with; with bitterness, acidly, spitefully)
Date
The earliest known usage of amateur in English dates from the 18th century.
Derivations in English
shamateur,
amateurish,
amateurismCognates
Dutch
amateur, French
amateur, German
Amateur, Italian
amatore, Norwegian
amator, Provençal
amaire, Spanish
amador, Swedish
amatörUsage
Word found in Modern English
