A.Word.A.Day		About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us

Home Today's Word Yesterday's Word Archives FAQ

Feb 8, 2012 This week's theme Words to describe people This week's words wastrel lummox dilettante roue Missed a word? Check the archives chronological alphabetical plaintext or search the site Discuss Feedback RSS/XML A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg dilettante PRONUNCIATION: (DIL-i-tahnt, dil-i-TAHNT, -tay, -tee) MEANING: noun: One who takes up an activity or interest in a superficial or casual way. adjective: Superficial; amateurish. ETYMOLOGY: From Italian dilettante (amateur), from Latin delectare (to delight). Earliest documented use: 1733. USAGE: "I long ago came to realize that I am a putterer, a grazer, a dilettante. I create the impression of getting a lot done by dabbling through my days: I read two pages of a book, write half a letter, paint a portion of the front porch, bake half a tin of muffins, teach a class, wash a window." Robert Klose; Confessions of a Dedicated Dilettante; The Christian Science Monitor (Boston, Massachusetts); May 10, 2004. Explore "dilettante" in the Visual Thesaurus. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948)

Gift Subscription: Share the joy of words with a friend: send a gift subscription of A.Word.A.Day or the book, a #1 Amazon.com bestseller. Sponsored by: