dilettante

[US]/ˌdɪləˈtænti/
[UK]/ˌdɪləˈtænti/
Frequency: Very High

Translation

n. an amateur; a person with superficial interest
adj. related to amateur arts; superficial
vi. to dabble; to show superficial interest

Example Sentences

a sculptor but a mere dilettante;

She dabbled in painting, but she was just a dilettante.

He's a dilettante musician, playing a few instruments without mastering any.

As a dilettante photographer, he enjoys taking pictures as a hobby.

She's more of a dilettante in cooking, trying out different recipes occasionally.

His dilettante interest in gardening led to a beautiful backyard.

Being a dilettante in literature, she reads various genres without specializing.

He's a dilettante in wine tasting, enjoying different varieties without deep knowledge.

Her dilettante approach to fashion involves experimenting with different styles.

The art gallery attracted many dilettante visitors who appreciated the paintings casually.

He's a dilettante investor, dabbling in stocks without a clear strategy.

Real-world Examples

Again, because I am a dilettante learner I'm not under any obligation to learn anything.

Source: Kaufman's language learning rules

DUCKWORTH: Oh, you think you're a dilettante?

Source: Freakonomics

Are you up to it? Because I'm not some dilettante...

Source: The Good Wife Season 6

I've been a bit dilettante, but I'm looking forward to seeing Oppenheimer in the next few days.

Source: Financial Times Podcast

The latter is no dilettante, with an extensive TV resume as well as film credits including “Be With You” (2004) and “Flying Colors” (2015).

Source: Intermediate and advanced English short essay.

If you seek to do many things, you'll taste a wider variety of human goods, but you may end up a well-rounded mediocrity - a dilettante.

Source: 202328

Being neither connoisseurs nor dilettantes, they did not stop before every picture; they put no constraint on themselves; a spirit of light-hearted gaiety came over them.

Source: The Night Before (Part 2)

The cottage was far from that standard at present, for Lisbeth's rheumatism had forced her to give up her old habits of dilettante scouring and polishing.

Source: Adam Bede (Volume Four)

At the mention of Searle Weekley began a diatribe against moneyed dilettantes which-in view of Weekley's income and the sum total of his morning's work-Grant thought inappropriate.

Source: A handsome face.

He had dawdled over his cigar because he was at heart a dilettante, and thinking over a pleasure to come often gave him a subtler satisfaction than its realisation.

Source: The Age of Innocence (Part One)

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