hobby

1 of 2

noun (1)

hob·​by ˈhä-bē 

plural hobbies

: a small Old World falcon (Falco subbuteo) that is dark blue above and white below with dark streaking on the breast

hobby

2 of 2

noun (2)

plural hobbies

: a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation

Writing is just a hobby of his.

Her hobbies include gardening and bird-watching.

hobbyist

ˈhä-bē-ist 

noun

Synonyms of hobby

Noun (2)

• pursuit
• sport
• avocation
• recreation
• amusement

Examples of hobby in a Sentence

Noun (2)

his ranch is just a weekend hobby—he makes his real money as an investment banker

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Cleaning graves grew in popularity during the pandemic The trend was particularly popular during the COVID-19 pandemic as people searched for safe hobbies, finding connections over death during a pandemic. — Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026

His hobbies consist of playing video games and golf with some of his teammates from the Red Bulls, but soccer is never far from his mind. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026

Bordelon already had experience renovating and reselling apartments as a hobby, and Slocum had been saving up to buy his own apartment. — Sophie Caldwell,valentina Duarte, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026

As the tiny village fell into disrepair and the locals forgot about the gas-station man and his quirky hobby, stories of hauntings and spooky auras became commonplace. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English hoby, from Anglo-French hobel, hobé

Noun (2)

short for hobbyhorse

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1816, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hobby

• bobbie
• bobby
• knobby
• lobby
• nabi
• nobby
• panjabi
• punjabi
• wahhabi

Kids Definition

hobby

noun

hob·​by

ˈhäb-ē

plural hobbies

: an interest or activity to which a person devotes time for pleasure

hobbyist

-ē-əst

noun