hobby (n.)

c. 1400, hobi, "small, active horse," short for hobyn (mid-14c.; late 13c. in Anglo-Latin), probably originally a proper name for a horse (compare dobbin), a diminutive of Robert or Robin. Old French hobi, hobin, once considered possible sources, now are held to be borrowings from English.

The modern sense of "a favorite pursuit, object, or topic" is from 1816, a shortening of hobbyhorse (q.v.) in this sense, which is attested from 1670s. Earlier it meant "a wooden or wickerwork figure of a horse," as a child's toy or a costume in the morris-dance, the connecting notion being "activity that doesn't go anywhere." Hobby as a shortening of hobbyhorse also was used in the "morris horse" sense (1760) and the "child's toy horse" sense (1680s).

also from c. 1400

Entries linking to hobby

dobbin (n.)

common name of a work-horse or farm horse, 1596 (in "Merchant of Venice"), probably from diminutive form of Dob (early 13c.), the common Middle English familiar form of the masc. proper name Robin or Robert; the personal name being applied to a horse.

hobbyhorse (n.)

also hobby-horse, 1550s, "mock horse used in the morris-dance;" 1580s, "child's toy riding horse," from hobby (n.) + horse (n.). Transferred sense of "favorite pastime or avocation" first recorded 1670s (shortened to hobby by 1816). The connecting notion being "activity that doesn't go anywhere."

The hobbyhorse originally was a "Tourney Horse," a wooden or basketwork frame worn around the waist and held on with shoulder straps, with a fake tail and horse head attached, so the wearer appears to be riding a horse. These were part of church and civic celebrations at Midsummer and New Year's throughout England.

hobbyist (n.)

"one devoted to some pursuit for the delight of it," 1830, from hobby + -ist. Hobbyism is recorded from 1846.

Trends of hobby

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

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avocation

1610s, "a calling away from one's occupation;" 1640s, "that which calls one away from one's proper business," from Latin avocationem (nominative avocatio) "a calling away, distraction, diversion," noun of action from past-participle stem of avocare "to call off, call away," from

pursuit

late 14c., "persecution" (a sense now obsolete), also "a chase with hostile intent," from Anglo-French purseute, pursuite, Old French porsuite "a search, pursuit" (14c., Modern French poursuite), from porsivre (see pursue). Meaning "action of following briskly for the purpose of

sideline

also side-line, "line extending along or attached to the side of anything," 1768; see side (adj.) + line (n.). The specific sense of "line marking the limits of playing area" (on a football field, etc.) is by 1862. The meaning "course of business aside from one's regular occupati

hobble

back and forth, toss up and down," probably from or cognate with dialectal German hoppeln, Dutch hobbelen "toss, ride on a hobby-horse...

spelunker

"a cave bug, a cave-crawler; one who explores caves as a hobby," by 1939, agent noun formed from obsolete spelunk "cave,...

velocipede

"The road from Ipswich to Whitton," says the Bury paper, "is travelled every evening by several pedestrian hobby-horses;...

distress

high-class "antiques" such as we carry, you have to satisfy not only the average person but people who go in for furniture as a hobby...

falcon

mid-13c., faucon, from Old French faucon "falcon" (12c.), from Late Latin falconem (nominative falco) "falcon" (source also of Old Spanish falcon, Portuguese falcão, Italian falcone, Old High German falcho, German Falke, Dutch valk), probably from Latin falx (genitive falcis) "cu

interest

mid-15c., "legal claim or right; a concern; a benefit, advantage, a being concerned or affected (advantageously)," from Old French interest "damage, loss, harm" (Modern French intérêt), from noun use of Latin interest "it is of importance, it makes a difference," third person sin

rocker

1852, "a rocking chair," American English, agent noun from rock (v.1). Middle English had rokker, "nurse charged with rocking a cradle" (early 14c.). In sense of "one of the curved pieces of wood that makes a chair or cradle rock" it dates from 1787. Meaning "one who enjoys rock

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updated on February 24, 2019

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Dictionary entries near hobby

Hob

Hobbesian

Hobbit

hobble

hobbledehoy

hobby

hobbyhorse

hobbyist

hobgoblin

hobnail

hobnob