– Definition: n one who engages in a pursuit, study, science, or sport as a pastime rather than as a profession
– Used in a sentence: “He is a true amateur of cooking.”
– Why: What I would like to bring back is the usage “an amateur of _________,” which makes the word synonymous with “lover.” What I would like to get rid of is the connotation of “amateur” as “slipshod; half-baked; amateurish.” (My point is similar to Nigella Lawson‘s admonition against home cooks describing themselves as “just a home cook;” home cooks do some amazing things, even though they don’t get paid. Sometimes, sincere passion can breed its own expertise.)