Vocabularium

I’m rather scatterbrained this morning, so here’s an easy one for you.

dilettante (dil·et·tante): / DIL i tahnt /
noun

(1) a dabbler in knowledge or art, especially one who has a superficial interest and takes up the practice for amusement; amateur
(2) a passionate admirer or lover of art or science, especially of a fine art

adjective

(1) superficial, especially with regards to one’s understanding of something; amateurish

[From Italian, from the present participle of dilettare meaning “to delight,” from Latin delectare meaning “to keep alluring or enticing,” frequentative of Latin delicere meaning “to allure.”]

Usage: I didn’t want to mention this while in the gallery, but I thought his new paintings were unusually dilettante.

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