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

How a hobby became an obsession The giant GameBoy is the joint effort of Powell (@whats_paige_making on Instagram) and engineer Nick Alvarez (@nickbuildstuff on Instagram). — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 11 Nov. 2026

Ledger the public servant is, of course, still Ledger the kid, with schoolwork and hobbies very much a part of his life. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 10 Nov. 2026

Even our hobbies have become things to document and measure, from logging films on Letterboxd to tracking our runs or taking aesthetic photos of our meals. — Sonal Nain, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2026

Research shows that learning a new language, picking up a new hobby, reading books or traveling can keep your brain active and sharp. — Richard Sima, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 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