amateur

Where does the word "amateur" come from? It comes from Latin amare, passing through Latin and French before entering English (1780s).

Amateur’s story begins in Latin: amare meant “to love.” To love, giving rise to amator (lover). Within Latin, it grew into amator by ancient. A lover, one devoted to something, from amare. From there it passed into French as amateur by 1700s. Carried into French for someone who pursues an activity for love, not pay. It reached English by 1780s as amateur. From the French for 'lover'; Victorian sport made the amateur, who competed unpaid, a social ideal. Today, amateur means a person who engages in an activity for enjoyment rather than as a profession.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient amare "to love", to love, giving rise to amator (lover).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient amator "a lover, one devoted to something", a lover, one devoted to something, from amare.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1700s amateur "someone who pursues an activity for love, not pay", carried into French for someone who pursues an activity for love, not pay.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1780s amateur "a person who engages in an activity for pleasure, not as a profession", from the French for 'lover'; Victorian sport made the amateur, who competed unpaid, a social ideal.