hobby
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hobby¹
- /ˈhɒ.bi/ UK
- /ˈhɑ.bi/ US
Rhymes with -ɒbi
Where it comes from
From Middle English hoby (“small horse, pony”), a variant or alteration of hobyn (“a small ambling horse”), of uncertain and disputed origin. According to one theory the term is derived from Hobin, a pet name of Robert or Robin, at the time frequently used as a proper name for a workhorse (compare dobbin).
Alternatively, possibly from Anglo-Norman hobyn, Old French hobin, obin ("a nag, hobby"; > Modern French aubin, Italian ubino): either derived from Old French hober, ober (“to stir, move”), from Old Dutch *hobbon ("to toss, move up and down"; whence Middle Dutch hobbelen (“to bump along”)); or possibly from North Germanic origin related to Danish hoppe (“a mare”), Old Swedish hoppa (“a young mare”), North Frisian hoppe (“horse”); both routes ultimately deriving from Proto-Germanic *huppōną (“to bob, hop”), from Proto-Indo-European *kewb- (“to bend; a bend, joint”). More at hop, hobble.
The modern sense of "pastime, activity of interest" is a clipping of hobby horse, which had shifted from "small horse, pony" to "child's toy riding horse" to "favorite pastime or avocation" with the connecting notion being "activity that doesn't go anywhere".
noun hobbies
-
An activity that one enjoys doing in one's spare time.
I like to collect stamps from different countries as a hobby.
Similar: avocation
- An extinct breed of horse native to the British Isles, also known as the Irish Hobby. I was out a-hunting to-day, and I got away to a place in the wood I’d never seen before. And there was an old chalk-pit. And I heard a kind of a sort of humming. So I got off my hobby, and I went right quiet to the pit, and I looked down.
-
Synonym of hobby horse (“a favorite topic”).
"Well, I think East is right," said Arthur; "I can't see but what it's right to do the best you can, though it mayn't be the best absolutely. Every man isn't born to be a martyr."
"Of course, of course," said East; "but he's on one of his pet hobbies. — How often have I told you, Tom, that you must
Similar: hobby horse
- Painting and building miniatures (as opposed to playing the game) I'm more into the competitive part than the hobby part of this game.
Similar: pastime, amusement, diversion, divertisement, fancy, hobby, kill-time, pursuit, sport · Opposite: work
hobby²
- /ˈhɒ.bi/ UK
- /ˈhɑ.bi/ US
Rhymes with -ɒbi
Where it comes from
From Middle English hoby, hobeye, from Old French hobé, hobei, hobet, from Medieval Latin hopētus, diminutive of harpe.
noun hobbies
- Any of four species of small falcons in the genus Falco, especially Falco subbuteo. He hawked – from nearby Esher, Richard Fox sent a servant with a hobby, which Henry received enthusiastically – and hunted, sending a present of freshly slaughtered deer to Princess Mary.
Similar: amusement, diversion, divertisement, fancy, hobby, kill-time, pursuit, sport · Opposite: work
Hobby³
proper noun Hobbies · Hobbys
- An English surname transferred from the given name.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: avocation, sideline, rocking horse, hobbyhorse, cockhorse, by-line, falco subbuteo, spare-time activity, stick horse, tinkering, accreditation, recreational, recreation, pleasure, entertainment, pastime
Translations
Every language
noun activity done for enjoyment in spare time
| Español | afición, hobby, jobi |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 취미 chwimi |
| 日本語 | 趣味 shumi |
| 中文 | 愛好 /爱好 àihào, 嗜好 shìhào, 趣味 qùwèi |
| हिन्दी | शौक़ śauq, रुचि ruci, सरगर्मी sargarmī |
| Português | passatempo, hobby |
| Français | passe-temps, hobby |
| Deutsch | Hobby, Steckenpferd |
| Italiano | hobby, passatempo |
| Ελληνικά | χόμπυ chómpy, χόμπι chómpi, πάρεργο párergo |
| Română | hobby |
| Русский | хо́бби xóbbi, увлече́ние uvlečénije, конёк konjók |
| Tiếng Việt | sở thích riêng, sở thích |
| العربية | هِوَايَة hiwāya, هَوَس hawas, تَفَنُّن tafannun, شَوْق šawq |
| עברית | תַּחְבִּיב takhbív |
Talk about this word "hobby." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/hobby. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. hobby. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/hobby "hobby." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/hobby.Cite this
@misc{hobby_2026,
title = {hobby},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/hobby},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
