avocation

[av-uh-key-shuh n]

See more synonyms for avocation on Thesaurus.com

noun

something a person does in addition to a principal occupation, especially for pleasure; hobby: Our doctor's avocation is painting.
a person's regular occupation, calling, or vocation.
Archaic. diversion or distraction.

Origin of avocation

1520–30; < Latin āvocātiōn- (stem of āvocātiō) a calling away. See a-⁴, vocation

Related formsav·o·ca·tion·al, adjectiveav·o·ca·tion·al·ly, adverb

Can be confusedavocation vocationavocation evocation

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for avocation

pastime, recreation, sideline, shot, thing, diversion, kick, amusement, occupation, schtick

Examples from the Web for avocation

Contemporary Examples of avocation

He stammered, and read and wrote a lot of poetry (mostly in secret), an avocation he changed to photography for the novel.
Colm Toibin Describes The Creation Of His Quiet Masterpiece ‘Nora Webster’
Jennie Yabroff
November 3, 2014
I think it was more a matter of self-consciousness… I always saw writing about music as purely an avocation.
Peter Guralnick: In Love With the Life of Music
Ron Hogan
March 29, 2014

Historical Examples of avocation

Petrarca, in his avocation of barber, was in the greatest request.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine -- Volume 57, No. 351, January 1845
Various
The girl of the future will select her own avocation and take her own training for it.
The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume IV
Various
He will find that in assuming our avocation he also has assumed our degradation.
My Bondage and My Freedom
Frederick Douglass
A woman with eyes like that would not be safe alone in any avocation where men could observe her.
Man and Maid
Elinor Glyn
I would not like to hurt your feelings by calling your avocation a trade!
Crown and Anchor
John Conroy Hutcheson

British Dictionary definitions for avocation

avocation

noun

formal a minor occupation undertaken as a diversion
not standard a person's regular job or vocation

Word Origin for avocation

C17: from Latin āvocātiō a calling away, diversion from, from āvocāre to distract, from vocāre to call

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for avocation

1520s, "a calling away from one's occupation," from Latin avocationem (nominative avocatio) "a calling away, distraction, diversion," noun of action from past participle stem of avocare, from ab- "off, away from" (see ab-) + vocare "to call" (see voice (n.)).