entry
dilettante
/ˌdɪləˈtɑːnti/A superficial amateur interested in many pursuits
From Italian, from Latin dilettante (One who delights in an artistic or intellectual pursuit).
from Latin delectare "to allure, delight, charm, please," frequentative of delicere "entice" (see delicious )....
+1 more sourcefrom Italian dilettante, present participle of dilettare (“to delight”)
from Italian dilettante, present participle of dilettare (“to delight”)
Word Ancestry
from Latin delectare "to allure, delight, charm, please," frequentative of delicere "entice" (see delicious )....
+1 more sourcefrom Italian dilettante, present participle of dilettare (“to delight”)
from Italian dilettante, present participle of dilettare (“to delight”)
In 1733, English borrowed an elegant Italian label for someone who delighted in music, painting, literature, or science. Italian dilettante came from dilettare, “to delight,” which traces back to Latin dēlectāre, a word for charming or pleasing someone. At first, a dilettante was not a fraud but a devoted amateur—the sort of cultivated person who pursued art because it was enjoyable, not because it paid the rent. By the late eighteenth century, however, the word acquired a sharper edge as “professional” became a badge of expertise and the dilettante began to look like someone sampling every subject without mastering any. So the word still contains a little pleasure-seeker at its center: a dilettante may be shallow, but etymologically, they are simply having a very good time.
The Story
In 1733, English borrowed an elegant Italian label for someone who delighted in music, painting, literature, or science. Italian dilettante came from dilettare, “to delight,” which traces back to Latin dēlectāre, a word for charming or pleasing someone. At first, a dilettante was not a fraud but a devoted amateur—the sort of cultivated person who pursued art because it was enjoyable, not because it paid the rent. By the late eighteenth century, however, the word acquired a sharper edge as “professional” became a badge of expertise and the dilettante began to look like someone sampling every subject without mastering any. So the word still contains a little pleasure-seeker at its center: a dilettante may be shallow, but etymologically, they are simply having a very good time.
Modern Usage
A person with superficial interest who lacks deep knowledge or developed skill.
Kin & Kindred
From 'dilettante'·One who delights in an artistic or intellectual pursuit
Derived Terms
English words from this root