dilettante — [ diletɑ̃t ] n. • 1740; mot it. « celui qui s adonne à un art par plaisir »; p. prés. de dilettare « délecter » 1 ♦ Vx Amateur passionné de musique. ⇒ mélomane. Par ext. Amateur d art, de littérature. « Le dilettante n a pas de tempérament… … Encyclopédie Universelle
Dilettante — Dil et*tan te, n.; pl. {Dilettanti}. [It., prop. p. pr. of dillettare to take delight in, fr. L. delectare to delight. See {Delight}, v. t.] An admirer or lover of the fine arts; popularly, an amateur; especially, one who follows an art or a… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
dilettante — 1733, borrowing of It. dilettante lover of music or painting, from dilettare to delight, from L. delectare (see DELIGHT (Cf. delight)). Originally without negative connotation, devoted amateur, the pejorative sense emerged late 18c. by contrast… … Etymology dictionary
dilettante — [adj] amateurish artsy fartsy*, dabbling, green*, half baked*, half cocked*, rookie, tenderfoot*, unaccomplished, ungifted, unskilled; concept 527 Ant. professional dilettante [n] amateur abecedarian, aesthete, connoisseur, dabbler, dallier,… … New thesaurus
dilettante — [dil′ə tänt΄, dil′ətant΄; dil΄ə tänt′, dil′ətant′; ] occas. [ dil΄ə tän′tē, dil΄ətan′tē] n. pl. dilettantes or dilettanti [dil΄ə tən′tī΄, dil΄ə tən′tē] [It < prp. of dilettare, to delight < L delectare, to charm, DELIGHT] 1. Now Rare a… … English World dictionary
dilettante — DILETTANTE: Homme très riche, abonné à l Opéra … Dictionnaire des idées reçues
dilettante — [part. pres. di dilettare ]. ■ s.m. e f. 1. [chi svolge un attività non per professione, né per lucro, ma per piacere proprio] ▶◀ amatore, appassionato, cultore, [di teatro] filodrammatico. ◀▶ professionista. 2. (spreg.) [chi dimostra… … Enciclopedia Italiana
dilettante — 1 *amateur, dabbler, tyro Contrasted words: artist, *expert, adept 2 *aesthete, connoisseur Contrasted words: *artist, artificer, architect: *writer … New Dictionary of Synonyms
dilettante — meaning ‘someone with superficial or affected knowledge of a subject’, is spelt with one l and two ts, and has plural forms dilettanti or dilettantes … Modern English usage
dilettante — ► NOUN (pl. dilettanti or dilettantes) ▪ a person who dabbles in a subject for enjoyment but without serious study. DERIVATIVES dilettantish adjective dilettantism noun. ORIGIN Italian, person loving the arts … English terms dictionary
