Amateur
easyNeutral toneAM-uh-chur
noun
Definition
A person who engages in an activity for pleasure rather than professionally; lacking expertise
Memory hook
AMA-TEUR: originally someone who does it for love, not money — now means unskilled, not professional.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The tournament was open to both amateurs and professionals.”
“His amateur approach to investing cost him dearly.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The tournament was open to both ______ and professionals.”
Show answer
amateurs
Categories
GRE Tip
Amateur is a easy-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "novice" or "neophyte" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "expert".
Related GRE Words
fledgling
A young bird just fledged; a person or organization that is new and inexperienced
greenhorn
An inexperienced or naive person
novice
A person new to or inexperienced in a field or situation
neophyte
A person who is new to a subject or activity; a beginner
tyro
A beginner or novice
uninitiated
Without special knowledge or experience
Master amateur and 1,000+ GRE words
Learn through stories, practice with real GRE questions, and never forget with spaced repetition.