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

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 Allwood Sommersby Garden House Kit is designed with cozy, compact living in mind, offering nearly 200 square feet of space that’s perfect for use as a workshop or hobby studio, guest house, home office, and more. —Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2025

The work was primarily a hobby, treated like travel baseball or sports for a lot of kids. —Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025

An outdoor enthusiast and athlete, his hobbies include skiing, both water and snow, horseback riding, tennis, football and baseball. —Cnn.com, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025

Add to that post-inflation prices and a tough job market, and DIY starts to look mighty appealing, both as a cost-saving hobby and as a revolutionary movement. —Corey Buhay, Outside, 15 Sep. 2025

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