hobby

1
[ hob-ee ]
See synonyms for hobby on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural hob·bies.
  1. an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation: Her hobbies include stamp-collecting and woodcarving.

  2. a child's hobbyhorse.

  1. Archaic. a small horse.

Idioms about hobby

  1. ride a hobby, to concern oneself excessively with a favorite notion or activity.: Also ride a hobbyhorse.

Origin of hobby

1
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English hoby(n), probably from Robin, or Robert (cf. hob2), used as horse's name, as in dobbin

Other words from hobby

  • hob·by·ist, noun
  • hob·by·less, adjective

Words Nearby hobby

Other definitions for hobby (2 of 3)

hobby2
[ hob-ee ]

noun,plural hob·bies.
  1. a small Old World falcon, Falco subbuteo, formerly flown at such small game as larks.

Origin of hobby

2
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English hoby, from Middle French hobé, variant of Middle French, Old French hobel (compare French hobereau ), probably noun derivative of hobeler “to skirmish, harass,” perhaps from Middle Dutch hob(b)elen “to turn, roll”; compare Dutch hobbelen “to rock, jolt” (cf. hobble)

Other definitions for Hobby (3 of 3)

Hobby
[ hob-ee ]

noun
  1. Oveta Culp [kuhlp], /kʌlp/, 1905–1995, U.S. newspaper publisher and government official: first director of Women's Army Corps 1942–45; first Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare 1953–55.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use hobby in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hobby (1 of 2)

hobby1

/ (ˈhɒbɪ) /


nounplural -bies
  1. an activity pursued in spare time for pleasure or relaxation

  2. archaic, or dialect a small horse or pony

  1. an early form of bicycle, without pedals

Origin of hobby

1
C14 hobyn, probably variant of proper name Robin; compare dobbin

Derived forms of hobby

  • hobbyist, noun

British Dictionary definitions for hobby (2 of 2)

hobby2

/ (ˈhɒbɪ) /


nounplural -bies
  1. any of several small Old World falcons, esp the European Falco subbuteo, formerly used in falconry

Origin of hobby

2
C15: from Old French hobet, from hobe falcon; probably related to Middle Dutch hobbelen to roll, turn

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