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Added 9 October 2026

hobby

/ˈhɒ.bi/ noun

In Latin: oblectatio, voluptas, delicium Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about hobby at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

An auxiliary activity.
A child's plaything consisting of an imitation horse mounted on rockers; the child straddles it and pretends to ride.
Small Old World falcon formerly trained and flown at small birds.

Origin

From Middle English hoby (“small horse, pony”), a variant or alteration of hobyn (“a small ambling horse”), of uncertain and disputed origin. According to one theory the term is derived from Hobin, a pet name of Robert or Robin, at the time frequently used as a proper name for a workhorse (compare dobbin).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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