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GRE vocabulary

dilettante

nounHigh-frequency wordMore D words

someone who dabbles in a field without serious commitment

Word origin: From Italian dilettante, lover of an art, from dilettare, to delight.

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In a sentence

Dilettante in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing dilettante in a sentence.

He was dismissed as a dilettante who flitted between hobbies.

He approached painting as a dilettante, dabbling for a season before abandoning it for some newer pursuit.

Synonyms
amateurdabblertrifler
Antonyms
expertprofessionalspecialist

Quick GRE check

Question 1 of 3

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Verbal · Sentence Equivalence

Critics complained that the documentary's narration was relentlessly blank, hammering home its single thesis so often that viewers felt lectured rather than informed.

Select the two answers that give the sentence the same meaning. 0 of 2 selected.

Usage & nuance

Using “dilettante” well

Dilettante usually carries a faintly dismissive tone, suggesting superficial dabbling rather than serious study. It pairs with amateur and dabbler, though amateur can be neutral while dilettante rarely is.

Common questions

Questions about “dilettante”

Dilettante (noun) means someone who dabbles in a field without serious commitment
Here is dilettante used in an example sentence: "He was dismissed as a dilettante who flitted between hobbies." Another example: "He approached painting as a dilettante, dabbling for a season before abandoning it for some newer pursuit."
Common synonyms for dilettante include amateur, dabbler, trifler.
Antonyms of dilettante include expert, professional, specialist.
Clusters with amateur, dabbler, and trifler in Sentence Equivalence. Antonyms expert, professional, and specialist describe committed mastery.
Yes. Dilettante is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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