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

The Pisces Moon in your finance zone squares your ruler Uranus in your playful 5th house, making spontaneous plans, tickets, hobbies, or treats harder to resist. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026

Your curiosity and lust for life urge you to seek new ideas, hobbies, and adventures. — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 23 Sep. 2026

The Aquarius Moon opposes Jupiter across your social and creative zones, bringing invitations, ideas, romance, hobbies, or group plans into competition. — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026

Ream and other home-distilling advocates contend that collecting those taxes does not give Congress the authority to prohibit the hobby altogether. — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 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