Dilettanti

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Dilettante \Dil`et*tan"te\, n.; pl. {Dilettanti}. [It., prop. p.
     pr. of dillettare to take delight in, fr. L. delectare to
     delight. See {Delight}, v. t.]
     An admirer or lover of the fine arts; popularly, an amateur;
     especially, one who follows an art or a branch of knowledge,
     desultorily, or for amusement only.


     [1913 Webster]
  
           The true poet is not an eccentric creature, not a mere
           artist living only for art, not a dreamer or a
           dilettante, sipping the nectar of existence, while he
           keeps aloof from its deeper interests.   --J. C.
                                                    Shairp.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  dilettante
       adj : showing frivolous or superficial interest; amateurish; "his
             dilettantish efforts at painting" [syn: {dilettantish},
              {dilettanteish}, {sciolistic}]
       n : an amateur who engages in an activity without serious
           intentions and who pretends to have knowledge [syn: {dabbler},
            {sciolist}]
       [also: {dilettanti} (pl)]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  dilettanti
       See {dilettante}