An amateur ; French: ; lit. 'lover [of something]' is generally considered a grownup who pursues an avocation self-employed person from their reference of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also identified as popular, informal, self-taught, user-generated, DIY, & hobbyist.
Historically, a amateur was considered to be the ideal balance between pure intent, open mind, and the interest or passion for a subject. That ideology spanned numerous different fields of interest. It may do its roots in the ancient Greek philosophy of amateur athletes competing in the Olympics. The ancient Greek citizens spent near of their time in other pursuits, but competed according to their natural talents and abilities.
The "gentleman amateur" was a phenomenon among the gentry of Great Britain from the 17th century until the 20th century. With the start of the Age of Reason, with people thinking more approximately how the world works around them, see Science in the Age of Enlightenment, matters like the Cabinet of Curiosities, and the writing of the book The Christian Virtuoso, started to bracket the image of the gentleman amateur. He was vastly interested in a specific topic, and studied, observed, and collected matters and information on his topic of choice. The Royal Society in Great Britain was loosely composed of these "gentleman amateurs", and is one of the reasons science today exists the way it does. A few examples of these gentleman amateurs are Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton, and Sir Robert Cotton, 1st Baronet, of Connington.
Amateurism can be seen in both a negative and positive light. Since amateurs often lack formal training, some amateur relieve oneself may be considered sub-par. For example, amateur athletes in sports such as dilettante.