dilettante
Meaning: A person who cultivates an area of interest without real commitment or knowledge; a dabbler.
Dilettante is almost always pejorative in modern English, implying superficiality and a lack of serious dedication. It suggests someone who flits between interests without mastering any of them, or who adopts the trappings of expertise without doing the hard work. The word is frequently used in artistic, intellectual, and professional contexts to dismiss someone's credentials. Historically, however, it was a neutral or even positive term for an admirer of the arts.
Examples
- Critics dismissed him as a dilettante who dabbled in painting without any formal training. 批评者们不屑地说他不过是一个业余爱好者,没有经过任何正规训练就涉足绘画。Los críticos lo tacharon de dilettante que se entretenía con la pintura sin formación alguna.批評家たちは、正式な訓練を受けずに絵を描くだけのディレッタントだと彼を切り捨てた。비평가들은 정식 훈련도 받지 않고 그림을 그리는 딜레탕트에 불과하다며 그를 일축했다.
- The board wanted a committed specialist, not a dilettante with a passing interest in the sector. 董事会想要的是一位全心投入的专家,而不是对这个行业只有一时兴趣的业余人士。La junta buscaba a un especialista comprometido, no a un dilettante con un interés pasajero en el sector.取締役会が求めていたのは献身的な専門家であり、その業界に一時的な関心しか持たないディレッタントではなかった。이사회가 원한 것은 헌신적인 전문가였지, 그 분야에 일시적인 관심만 가진 딜레탕트가 아니었다.
- She refused to be seen as a dilettante and enrolled in an intensive three-year programme. 她拒绝被视为浅尝辄止的人,报名参加了一个为期三年的强化课程。Se negó a que la considerasen una dilettante y se matriculó en un programa intensivo de tres años.彼女はディレッタントと見なされることを拒み、3年間の集中プログラムに入学した。그녀는 딜레탕트로 취급받는 것을 거부하고 3년간의 집중 프로그램에 등록했다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: cultural, academic, general
Tone: negative
Origin & History
From Italian dilettante (lover of the arts), present participle of dilettare (to delight), from Latin delectare (to charm, delight). Originally a positive term in 18th-century English for an admirer of fine arts; the negative connotation of superficiality developed in the 19th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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