What is a single word for one who enjoys something?
I am not a movie critic but an '______' of good movies.
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3Enjoyer is in Merriam-Webster so if you want to emphasise that you enjoy good movies, rather than appreciate them, are knowledgeable about them, advocate for them, are obsessed with them, devote all your time to them, etc, it may be the best word to use.– Stuart FCommented Nov 25, 2021 at 9:57
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1'Fan' and synonyms are readily available.– Edwin AshworthCommented Nov 25, 2021 at 10:19
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3Believe it or not, the best word I know for it is Amateur It is sadly not used that way though. One who does it "for love of it". The Royal Society in London was a place where these amateurs could meet. They created science as we know it. It is not used like that today, so to attract less downvotes, I leave it as a comment ;)– StianCommented Nov 25, 2021 at 15:55
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1Fan, buff, afficionado, devotee, follower et al all work for me and isn't "I am not a movie critic but… " just confusing? Doesn't that set up an unreal opposition. By the same token, how would such a term be necessary? What would be wrong with "I enjoy (good) moviesbooks/food/anything"?– Robbie GoodwinCommented Nov 25, 2021 at 21:58
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1Best would be a phrase using the word to replace this curious use of "movie critic". 'I am not [any of the answers] but I enjoy a good [noun] from time to time.' - A single word for one who overly enjoys something.– MazuraCommented Nov 26, 2021 at 3:55
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11 Answers
If your enjoyment extends out to enthusiasm, the you would be an:
Enthusiast
noun
- a person who is very interested in a particular activity or subject.
"a sports car enthusiast"
answered Nov 25, 2021 at 18:52
A bit more high-brow: connoisseur.
1: Expert, especially: one who understands the details, technique, or principles of an art and is competent to act as a critical judge: "a connoisseur of music"
2: one who enjoys with discrimination and appreciation of subtleties: "a connoisseur of fine wines"
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6When I looked it up, the definition I got was "an expert judge in matters of taste." That's a bit different from someone who likes something. Commented Nov 26, 2021 at 7:02
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Added a quote from a dictionary to appease whoever voted to delete (!)...– AnoECommented Nov 26, 2021 at 9:19
You could use afficionado, devotee and synonyms, but in the context of the question I would say
I am not a movie critic but a movie buff.
Lexico has
buff ²
NOUNA person who is enthusiastically interested in and very knowledgeable about a particular subject.
answered Nov 24, 2021 at 23:10
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3Buff seems stronger than what the OP has in mind. One can be interested in something and enjoy it, without being enthusiastically interested in it and very knowledgeable about it.– jsw29Commented Nov 24, 2021 at 23:34
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1Thanks Lexico, but jsw29 is right, I meant to imply a milder state of mind in my question. I thought about fan, felt (perhaps wrongly) that it also suggests an enthusiasm or devotion that I did not want to convey. Perhaps fan it is, though I hope the word has shed its reputation as being a shortened form of fanatic.– RockyCommented Nov 25, 2021 at 0:49
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1
someone who admires and supports a person, sport, sports team, etc.:
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2Although the definition this answer provides may not seem to fit the OP's case, "fan" is actually used idiomatically to mean exactly what the OP is looking for. It's probably the most natural and most common word choice for exactly this.– user163011Commented Nov 25, 2021 at 16:08
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3OED has this definition for the extended sense: "a keen follower of a specified hobby or amusement"– ermanenCommented Nov 26, 2021 at 2:18
If you are seeking a word only in relation to movies, then cinephile would be the perfect term. Your phrase would then be along the lines:
I am not a movie critic but I'm certainly a cinephile.
The definition from Oxford Languages online is as follows.
a person who is fond of the cinema.
However, if you are seeking a more generic word to describe someone who enjoys something, then you have a great many choices, some of which have already been offered by others (e.g. connoisseur, fan, etc).
how about
fanatic aficionado cognoscente admirer devotee addict
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2Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please edit to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center.– Community BotCommented Nov 26, 2021 at 0:40
"Lover" - I am a lover of good movies.
"Lover" is defined as follows - a person who likes or enjoys a specified thing.
Enjoyer is in Merriam-Webster so if you want to emphasise that you enjoy good movies, rather than appreciate them, are knowledgeable about them, advocate for them, are obsessed with them, devote all your time to them, etc, it may be the best word to use.
'a Cinephile' encapsulates "an 'enjoyer' of good movies."
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1I think the OP is looking for a word that can apply to many different things, not specifically films.– BarmarCommented Nov 25, 2021 at 13:59
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1Cinephile only works for the specific example. I think the OP was after a more general term for someone who enjoys something. Commented Nov 25, 2021 at 14:00
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1True enough. Most things can take the suffix one way or another and it's a very common way of expressing it. Commented Nov 26, 2021 at 14:03
You can say "-head" or "fiend" after mentioning the hobby if you want to talk about its fans
"He's a big metal-head", "I'm a book fiend"
If you want to be more informal, and imply obsessive interest, you could consider "fanboi" or "fanboy".
a male fan, especially one who is obsessive about comics, music, or science fiction
It has a somewhat negative connotation.
answered Nov 27, 2021 at 9:28
