hobby en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈhɒ.bi/ (UK)
- /ˈhɑ.bi/ (US)
- (UK) audio
Etymology
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".
Meanings
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An activity that one enjoys doing in one's spare time.
I like to collect stamps from different countries as a hobby.
take up a hobby
give up your hobby
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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.
1890, Joseph Jacobs, “Tom Tit Tot”, in English Fairy Tales, page 7:
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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 drive a nail where it'll go."
1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's School Days:
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(sometimes) Painting and building miniatures (as opposed to playing the game)
I'm more into the competitive part than the hobby part of this game.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| hobbies | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
hobbyless · hobby bobby · Irish Hobby · hobbyist · hobby horse · ride a hobby · hobby table · hobby knife · hobby desk · hobbycraft · hobby farm · hobby fuse · hobbylike · hobby horsing · Irish hobby · hobbyism
Descendants
hobby · hobby · Hobby · хобби · hobby · hobby · hobby · hobby · hobby · hobby · hobby · hobby · hobby · hobby · hobby
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
crosswording · birdspotting · collecting · planespotting · stamp collecting · fishkeeping · cartophily · metal detecting · letterboxing · conchology · quilting · roadgeeking · spelunking · bird-nesting · lepidoptery · birdkeeping · arctophily · ballooning · scripophily · gaming · train spotting · congoing · SWLing · phillumeny · groundhopping · piphilology · retrocomputing · tegestology · amateur radio · ham radio · DXing · retrogaming
Relateds
game · hobelar · hobeler · dilettantism · hobbyhorse
Synonyms
divertisement · avocation (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · pastime · pursuit · fancy · hobby horse · kill-time · amusement · diversion · hobby · sport
Translations (154)
mwl antreten (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ar هِوَايَة (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · rue го́бі (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ms hobi (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ar تَفَنُّن (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · eu zaletasun (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · tr hobi (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · cs koníček (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · hu hobbi (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · nan-hbl 愛好 /爱好 (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · tl hilig (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · vi sở thích (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · nan-hbl 趣味 (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · nn hobby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · rsk гоби (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · km ចំណូលចិត្ត (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · vi sở thích riêng (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ko 취미 (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · el χόμπυ (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · hi रुचि (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · tg шавқ (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · uk хо́бі (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · kk хобби (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · el πάρεργο (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ka ჰობი (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · km ចំណង់ចំណូលចិត្ត (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · mwl passatiempo (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · bg увлече́ние (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · mt passatemp (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · hi शौक़ (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · id hobi (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · lt hobis (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · sk hobby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · it hobby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · mk хоби (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · bn শখ (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · nl vrijetijdsbesteding (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · es hobby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ia hobby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · yi פֿערדל (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · wa passe-tins (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ia passatempore (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ryu 趣味 (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · uk захо́плення (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · mn хобби (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · be захапле́нне (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ru конёк (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · hi सरगर्मी (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · sq punë qejfi (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ps شوق (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ar شَوْق (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · yue 趣味 (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · cs hobby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · is hobbí (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · gd gnàth-obair (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · fr hobby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · lt pomėgis (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · eo ŝatokupo (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · kk әуестік (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · nl hobby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ru увлече́ние (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · sh hȍbi (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · pt passatempo (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · hu kedvtelés (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · vo livüpajäf (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ug ھەۋەس (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · kk әуесқойлық (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · mi runaruna (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · prs شَوق (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · id kegemaran (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · prs تَفَنُّن (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · fr passe-temps (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · yue 嗜好 (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · fi harrastus (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · pl hobby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · is tómstundagaman (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · la delicium (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · it passatempo (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · fa-ira سَرْگَرْمی (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · kmr hobî (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · la oblectatio (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ur مَشْغَلَہ (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · el χόμπι (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ga caitheamh aimsire (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · es afición (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ru хо́бби (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · gu શોખ (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · es jobi (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · tk hobi (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · fa-ira تَفَنُّن (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · mn сонирхол (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · yue 愛好 /爱好 (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · sh хо̏би (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · eo hobio (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · bg хо́би (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · gd cur-seachad (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · sq hobi (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · grc διατριβή (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · be захапле́ньне (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · mi mahi tākaro (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · nb hobby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · tr merak (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · pt hobby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · cmn 愛好 /爱好 (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · th งานอดิเรก (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · la āvocāmentum (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · lv vaļasprieks (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ja 趣味 (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · sv hobby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · bo དགའ་པོ་བྱེད་ཡག (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ky хобби (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · sco habby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · tg саргармӣ (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · sk koníček (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · fa-ira شُوق (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · vo löfäl (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · lo ພັກສມອງ (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · cmn 趣味 (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · tk güýmenje (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · prs سَرْگَرْمِی (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ka გატაცება (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · he תַּחְבִּיב (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ca passatemps (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · la voluptas (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · gd fòidearachd (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · af stokperdjie (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ar هَوَس (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · kk мұштақ (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · et harrastus (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · sl konjiček (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ro hobby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ur شَوق (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ur تَفَنُّن (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · uz xobbi (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ur سَرْگَرْمی (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · lv hobijs (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · hy հոբբի (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · is áhugamál (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · ka აჩემებული რამ (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · is tómstundaiðja (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · sa देवना (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · be хо́бі (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · de Hobby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · wa pasmint d' tins (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · tk hobbi (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · cy hobi (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · hu kedvenc időtöltés (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · da hobby (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · cmn 嗜好 (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · my ဝါသနာ (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · mt ħobi (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · az hobbi (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · de Steckenpferd (activity done for enjoyment in spare time) · fi harraste (activity done for enjoyment in spare time)