hobby

hobby — noun

1. something you do regularly in your free time because you enjoy it, rather than f

1.nounA2
Definition

something you do regularly in your free time because you enjoy it, rather than for work or school

Example

Apinya took up gardening as a hobby after retiring from the hospital.

collocation: take up [activity] as a hobby

Collecting stamps and old coins has been Hao's hobby since primary school.

gerund subject: collecting + hobby

Common collocations
  • take up a hobby
  • pursue a hobby
  • share a hobby
  • have a hobby
  • favourite hobby
  • outdoor hobby
  • creative hobby
Synonyms
  • pastime

    slightly more general than hobby; can include passive activities like watching TV

  • interest

    focuses on what you enjoy learning about rather than actively doing

  • pursuit

    more formal; often implies a serious or dedicated activity

Antonyms
  • work

    hobby is done for pleasure in free time; work is done for money or obligation

  • chore

    a routine task you have to do, not an activity you choose for enjoyment

Usage Note

Hobby often follows verbs such as 'take up', 'have', and 'pursue'. 'Take up a hobby' means to start doing it for the first time. This noun is countable — use 'a hobby' for one and 'hobbies' for more than one.

Common Mistakes

Playing basketball is my habit.
Playing basketball is my hobby.
'habit' refers to something you do automatically without thinking, while 'hobby' is something you choose to do for fun.
My hobby is to play guitar.
My hobby is playing the guitar.
After 'hobby is', use a gerund (playing, collecting, painting), not an infinitive.

2. a small, fast-flying falcon native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, with dark blue u

2.nounC2
Definition

a small, fast-flying falcon native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, with dark blue upperparts and pale underparts marked with dark streaks, known for catching insects and small birds while in flight

Example

Iker spotted a hobby flying low over the reeds near the riverbank yesterday.

collocation: spot a hobby + location phrase

The hobby catches dragonflies and small birds in the air with great speed.

Common collocations
  • migration of the hobby
  • spot a hobby
  • hobby falcon
  • Eurasian hobby
Synonyms
  • Eurasian hobby

    the full common name used in ornithology to distinguish this species from other 'hobby' falcons such as the Australian hobby

Usage Note

This sense is rare in everyday conversation and appears mainly in birdwatching field guides and wildlife texts. The scientific name is Falco subbuteo. Do not confuse with the Eurasian kestrel, which has a similar size but different hunting style.

Word family

  • hobbyist
    nounB2
  • hobbyhorse
    nounC2
  • hobbies
    nounA2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Hobby, pastime, interest, and pursuit all describe activities you enjoy outside of work, but they differ in scope. Hobby is the most common word and suggests an activity you perform regularly and often actively, such as woodworking, photography, or gardening. Pastime is broader and can include passive activities like watching films or reading novels — it carries a lighter feel. Interest focuses on what you like to learn about or follow, not necessarily what you actively do (e.g., 'an interest in astronomy'). Pursuit is more formal and often implies a serious, long-term commitment, such as 'the pursuit of musical excellence'. In daily use, hobby is the safest choice: 'Apinya's main hobby is gardening' sounds natural, while 'Apinya's main pastime is gardening' slightly shifts the tone toward leisure rather than active practice.

hobby ↗pastime ↗interest ↗pursuit ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • take up as a hobby
  • turn into a hobby
  • make something a hobby

Prepositions

Etymology

Middle EnglishEnglish

The word 'hobby' first appeared in Middle English as 'hoby' or 'hobby', meaning a small horse or pony. By the 1500s, a 'hobbyhorse' was a toy horse used in children's play. The modern sense of a regular leisure activity developed around the 1800s from the phrase 'to ride one's hobbyhorse', meaning to pursue a favourite topic or pastime. Over time, the activity sense overtook the horse sense in everyday language.