Dilettanti

/ˌdɪləˈtɑːnti/ noun

Definition

The traditional Italian plural of dilettante; multiple people who engage in artistic or intellectual pursuits as casual hobbyists.

Etymology

Italian plural form of dilettante, preserving the original Italian -i ending. English speakers encountered this form when discussing Italian art and culture, and it remains used in certain contexts.

Kelly Says

The word 'dilettanti' became so famous in 18th-century England that the Dilettanti Society—a real club of gentlemen art collectors—named themselves after it, making fashionable dabbling into an institution!

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