amateur, novice, neophyte, tyro

amateur, novice, neophyte, tyro
Amateur, much the most widely used of these four terms, is applied to someone who follows or pursues any art, study, or other activity simply from love of doing so. In certain activities, especially sports, an amateur is one who, regardless of excellence, receives no payment for his performance: "Stan played as an amateur for five years before becoming a professional." A novice is a beginner, a person new to any field or activity: "Some young brides are novices at housekeeping." Tyro is closely related in meaning to novice; it refers to someone who is inexperienced: "Bill was a tyro during his first weeks at training camp." Neophyte also refers to a beginner (novice, tyro), but the term is usually applied to a recent convert, especially to a novice in a religious order and to a recently ordained priest. An amateur may be skilled and even experienced, but novices, tyros, and neophytes never are. A tyro, novice, or neophyte may be a professional, but an amateur never is.

Dictionary of problem words and expressions. . 1975.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • tyro — See amateur. See amateur, novice, neophyte, tyro …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • neophyte — See amateur. See amateur, novice, neophyte, tyro …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • novice — See amateur. See amateur, novice, neophyte, tyro …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • amateur — See amateur, novice, neophyte, tyro …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • novice — novice, novitiate, apprentice, probationer, postulant, neophyte are comparable when applied to one who is a beginner, especially in a trade, a profession, a career, or a sphere of life. Novice and the less common novitiate may be applied to… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • neophyte — I noun abecedarian, amateur, apprentice, beginner, catechumen, debutant, entrant, fledgling, freshman, learner, newcomer, novice, prentice, pupil, student, tenderfoot, trainee, tyro II index amateur, novice, probationer (one being tested) Burto …   Law dictionary

  • novice — I noun amateur, apprentice, aspirant, beginner, catechumen, disciple, entrant, fledgling, freshman, hopeful, inexperienced person, initiate, learner, neophyte, new arrival, newcomer, probationer, pupil, recruit, rookie, rudis, student, trainee,… …   Law dictionary

  • amateur — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. nonprofessional, beginner; dilettante; volunteer. See beginning, taste. Ant., professional, connoisseur. II (Roget s IV) modif. Syn. nonprofessional, lay, unpaid, inexperienced, avocational,… …   English dictionary for students

  • novice — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. beginner, student, amateur, probationer, neophyte, apprentice; tyro, greenhorn. See beginning, learning, preparation. II (Roget s IV) n. Syn. beginner, learner, neophyte, postulant; see amateur ,… …   English dictionary for students

  • amateur — [am′ə chər, am′əchoor΄; am′ə tʉr΄, am′ə tər] n. [Fr < L amator, lover < pp. of amare, to love] 1. a person who engages in some art, science, sport, etc. for the pleasure of it rather than for money; a nonprofessional; specif., an athlete… …   English World dictionary

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