“Olympic athletes are all professionals now.”
Usage Entry 1236 / 1350 60-second read
Amateur vs. Professional
Plays for love, not money, versus plays for pay.
The comparisoni
“Olympic athletes are all amateurs in spirit — but most are paid professionals now. The Olympic amateur rule was relaxed decades ago.”
The ruleii
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AMATEUR = no pay. PROFESSIONAL = pay.
AMATEUR means unpaid — the term comes from Latin amare, "to love." PROFESSIONAL means paid to play. Once a strict divide in Olympic and tennis history, the line has softened in most sports. "Amateur" does not mean "unskilled."
Memory aidiii
Remember it like this
Amateur = for love. Professional = for pay.