pastime
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of pastime
1480–90; earlier pas ( s ) e tyme, translation of Middle French passe-temps
Explanation
A pastime is any hobby or activity that you do to pass the time. Usually, people enjoy their pastimes. When baseball was more popular, it was called the "national pastime," because so many people enjoyed watching or playing it. Baseball is still a major pastime, as are many other sports. Other pastimes include listening to music, playing music, watching TV, playing video games, playing with your dog, and any kind of hobby. Whenever you're awake and not working, you're probably enjoying a pastime.
Vocabulary lists containing pastime
Baseball: A Lexicon
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Words for the World Series
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: November 11 - 17, 2017
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When it came time to pick the bowling-alley surface for their new home, Ryane said, they both gravitated toward the aptly named hue America’s Pastime.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
Each victory spurred him on to ever-greater heights, culminating in his magnum opus - a sprawling double album full of classics like Pastime Paradise, Sir Duke, Isn't She Lovely and As.
From BBC • Jul. 14, 2022
The sport is in urgent need of some tinkering if it ever hopes to regain its spot as America’s Pastime.
From Washington Times • Jun. 20, 2020
In the book “The Presidents and the Pastime: The History of Baseball and the White House,” the author Curt Smith wrote that Mr. Trump had been scouted by at least two professional baseball teams.
From New York Times • Nov. 9, 2019
And in fact—maybe in fact—Samir was part of a secret chess club, the Brotherhood of the Checkered Pastime.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
