# hobby
## English
### Pronunciation

* Rhymes: -ɒbi
* (UK) IPA: /ˈhɒ.bi/
* (US) IPA: /ˈhɑ.bi/
* Audio (UK):(file)

### Etymology 1

Shortened from hobby-horse, from Middle English hoby, hobyn, hobin (“small horse, pony”), from Old French hobi, *haubi, haubby, hobin ("a nag, hobby"; > Modern French aubin, Italian ubino), of Germanic origin: from Old French hober, ober (“to stir, move”), from Old Dutch hobben (“to toss, move up and down”); or from North Germanic origin related to Danish hoppe (“a mare”), Old Swedish hoppa (“a young mare”), North Frisian hoppe (“horse”); both ultimately from Proto-Germanic *huppōną (“to hop”), from Proto-Indo-European *kewb- (“to bend; a bend, joint”). More at hop, hobble.
The meaning of hobby-horse shifted from "small horse, pony" to "child's toy riding horse" to "favorite pastime or avocation" with the connecting notion being "activity that doesn't go anywhere". Possibly originally from a proper name for a horse, a diminutive of Robert or Robin (compare dobbin).

#### Noun

hobby (plural hobbies)
* An activity that one enjoys doing in one's spare time.
    I like to collect stamps from different countries as a hobby.
    take up a hobby
    give up your hobby
* (equestrianism) An extinct breed of horse native to the British Isles, also known as the Irish Hobby
* Synonym of hobby horse (“favourite topic”)
** 1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's School Days:"Well, I think East is right," said Arthur; "I can't see but what it's right to do the best you can, though it mayn't be the best absolutely. Every man isn't born to be a martyr." "Of course, of course," said East; "but he's on one of his pet hobbies. — How often have I told you, Tom, that you must drive a nail where it'll go."

##### Synonyms

* (activity done for enjoyment in spare time): avocation, pastime; See also Thesaurus:hobby

##### Derived terms

* hobby bobby
* hobby desk
* hobby horse
* hobbyist
* hobby knife
* hobby table
* Irish hobby
* ride a hobby

##### Related terms

* hobbyhorse (noun)
* hobelar/hobeler

##### Descendants

* → Catalan: hobby
* → Danish: hobby
* → Dutch: hobby
* → French: hobby
* → Galician: hobby
* → German: Hobby
* → Italian: hobby
* → Norwegian Bokmål: hobby
* → Norwegian Nynorsk: hobby
* → Polish: hobby
* → Portuguese: hobby
* → Romanian: hobby
* → Russian: хобби (xobbi)
* → Spanish: hobby
* → Swedish: hobby

##### Translations
### Etymology 2

From Middle English hoby, hobeye, from Old French hobé, hobei, hobet, from Medieval Latin hopētus, diminutive of harpe.

#### Noun

hobby (plural hobbies)
* Any of four species of small falcons in the genus Falco, especially Falco subbuteo.
** 2011, Thomas Penn, Winter King, Penguin, published 2012, page 323:He hawked – from nearby Esher, Richard Fox sent a servant with a hobby, which Henry received enthusiastically – and hunted, sending a present of freshly slaughtered deer to Princess Mary.

##### Derived terms

* African hobby, Falco cuvierii
* Australian hobby, Falco longipennis
* Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo
* Oriental hobby, Falco severus

##### Translations
### See also

* hobby lantern

## Catalan
### Etymology

Borrowed from English hobby.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: (Central) [ˈɔ.βi]
* IPA: (Balearic, Valencia) [ˈɔ.bi]

### Noun

hobby m (plural hobbies)
* hobby
    Synonym: passatemps

### References

* ↑ "hobby" at ésAdir

### Further reading

* “hobby”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025
* “hobby” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.

## Czech
### Noun

hobby n
* hobby (activity)

#### Declension
## Danish
### Etymology

From English hobby.

### Noun

hobby c (singular definite hobbyen, plural indefinite hobbyer)
* hobby (activity)

#### Synonyms

* fritidsinteresse

### Further reading

* “hobby” in Den Danske Ordbog

## Dutch
### Etymology

From English hobby.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈɦɔ.bi/
* Audio:(file)
* Hyphenation: hob‧by

### Noun

hobby m (plural hobby's, diminutive hobby'tje n)
* hobby (activity)
    Synonym: liefhebberij

#### Derived terms

* hobbyartikel
* hobbymatig

## Finnish
### Etymology

From English hobby.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈhobi/, [ˈho̞bi]
* IPA: /ˈhobːi/, [ˈho̞bːi]
* Rhymes: -obi

### Noun

hobby (dated)
* (now nonstandard) Synonym of harrastus (“hobby”).
** 1938, Sinclair Lewis, translated by Väinö Jaakkola, Tuhlaajavanhemmat: romaani [The Prodigal Parents], W. Söderström:En luulisi teillä olevan kirouksenanne hobbyja, kuten minulla on.I shouldn't have thought you were cursed with hobbies, as I am.
** 1953, Eduskunta (Finnish Parliament), Pöytäkirjat (Minutes):Sellainen henkilö, joka itse ei ole harrastanut tätä hobbya, virkistyskalastusta, (...)A person who hasn't themselves tried this hobby, recreational fishing, (...)
** 1967, Yrjö A. Jäntti, Martti Haavio, Suomen sana: kansalliskirjallisuutemme valiolukemisto, volume 24, W. Söderström:Hobbyjen ei tarvitse noudattaa jo edellä mainittua kaupallista linjaa.Hobbies need not be commercial in the same way as previously mentioned.

#### Declension

Possessive forms of hobby (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation) :
first-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
hobbyni
hobbyni
accusative
nom.
hobbyni
hobbyni
gen.
hobbyni
genitive
hobbyni
hobbyjeni
partitive
hobbyani
hobbyjani
inessive
hobbyssani
hobbyissani
elative
hobbystani
hobbyistani
illative
hobbyyni
hobbyihini
adessive
hobbyllani
hobbyillani
ablative
hobbyltani
hobbyiltani
allative
hobbylleni
hobbyilleni
essive
hobbynani
hobbyinani
translative
hobbykseni
hobbyikseni
abessive
hobbyttani
hobbyittani
instructive
comitative
—hobbyineni
second-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
hobbysi
hobbysi
accusative
nom.
hobbysi
hobbysi
gen.
hobbysi
genitive
hobbysi
hobbyjesi
partitive
hobbyasi
hobbyjasi
inessive
hobbyssasi
hobbyissasi
elative
hobbystasi
hobbyistasi
illative
hobbyysi
hobbyihisi
adessive
hobbyllasi
hobbyillasi
ablative
hobbyltasi
hobbyiltasi
allative
hobbyllesi
hobbyillesi
essive
hobbynasi
hobbyinasi
translative
hobbyksesi
hobbyiksesi
abessive
hobbyttasi
hobbyittasi
instructive
comitative
—hobbyinesi
first-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
hobbymme
hobbymme
accusative
nom.
hobbymme
hobbymme
gen.
hobbymme
genitive
hobbymme
hobbyjemme
partitive
hobbyamme
hobbyjamme
inessive
hobbyssamme
hobbyissamme
elative
hobbystamme
hobbyistamme
illative
hobbyymme
hobbyihimme
adessive
hobbyllamme
hobbyillamme
ablative
hobbyltamme
hobbyiltamme
allative
hobbyllemme
hobbyillemme
essive
hobbynamme
hobbyinamme
translative
hobbyksemme
hobbyiksemme
abessive
hobbyttamme
hobbyittamme
instructive
comitative
—hobbyinemme
second-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
hobbynne
hobbynne
accusative
nom.
hobbynne
hobbynne
gen.
hobbynne
genitive
hobbynne
hobbyjenne
partitive
hobbyanne
hobbyjanne
inessive
hobbyssanne
hobbyissanne
elative
hobbystanne
hobbyistanne
illative
hobbyynne
hobbyihinne
adessive
hobbyllanne
hobbyillanne
ablative
hobbyltanne
hobbyiltanne
allative
hobbyllenne
hobbyillenne
essive
hobbynanne
hobbyinanne
translative
hobbyksenne
hobbyiksenne
abessive
hobbyttanne
hobbyittanne
instructive
comitative
—hobbyinenne
third-person possessor
singular
plural
nominative
hobbynsa
hobbynsa
accusative
nom.
hobbynsa
hobbynsa
gen.
hobbynsa
genitive
hobbynsa
hobbyjensa
partitive
hobbyaan hobbyansa
hobbyjaan hobbyjansa
inessive
hobbyssaan hobbyssansa
hobbyissaan hobbyissansa
elative
hobbystaan hobbystansa
hobbyistaan hobbyistansa
illative
hobbyynsa
hobbyihinsa
adessive
hobbyllaan hobbyllansa
hobbyillaan hobbyillansa
ablative
hobbyltaan hobbyltansa
hobbyiltaan hobbyiltansa
allative
hobbylleen hobbyllensa
hobbyilleen hobbyillensa
essive
hobbynaan hobbynansa
hobbyinaan hobbyinansa
translative
hobbykseen hobbyksensa
hobbyikseen hobbyiksensa
abessive
hobbyttaan hobbyttansa
hobbyittaan hobbyittansa
instructive
comitative
—hobbyineen hobbyinensa :

### Further reading

* “hobby”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

## French
### Etymology

Borrowed from English hobby.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɔ.bi/

### Noun

hobby m (plural hobbies or hobbys)
* hobby (activity)
    Synonym: passe-temps

### Further reading

* “hobby”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

## Interlingua
### Noun

hobby
* hobby (activity)

## Italian
### Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English hobby.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈɔb.bi/
* Rhymes: -ɔbbi
* Hyphenation: hòb‧by
* Audio:(file)

### Noun

hobby m (invariable)
* hobby (activity)

#### Related terms

* hobbysto
* hobbystico

### Further reading

* hobby in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

## Norwegian Bokmål
### Etymology

From English hobby.

### Noun

hobby m (definite singular hobbyen, indefinite plural hobbyer, definite plural hobbyene)
* a hobby (leisure activity)

### References

* “hobby” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

## Norwegian Nynorsk
### Etymology

From English hobby.

### Noun

hobby m (definite singular hobbyen, indefinite plural hobbyar, definite plural hobbyane)
* a hobby (leisure activity)

### References

* “hobby” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

## Polish
### Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English hobby.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈxɔb.bi/, /ˈxɔb.bɘ/
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -ɔbbi, -ɔbbɘ
* Syllabification: hob‧by

### Noun

hobby n (indeclinable)
* hobby, passion (activity to which one devotes a lot of time and resources)
    Synonyms: konik, pasja, zainteresowanie, zajawka, zamiłowanie

#### Related terms

* hobbista
* hobbistka
* hobbistycznie
* hobbistyczny
* hobbysta
* hobbystka
* hobbystycznie
* hobbystyczny

### Further reading

* hobby in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
* hobby in Polish dictionaries at PWN

## Portuguese
### Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English hobby.

### Pronunciation

* (Brazil) IPA: /ˈʁɔ.bi/ [ˈhɔ.bi]
* (Brazil) IPA: /ˈʁɔ.bi/ [ˈhɔ.bi]
** (Rio de Janeiro) IPA: /ˈʁɔ.bi/ [ˈχɔ.bi]
** (Southern Brazil) IPA: /ˈʁɔ.be/ [ˈhɔ.be]
* (Portugal) IPA: /ˈɔ.bi/ [ˈɔ.βi]
* Rhymes: -ɔbi
* Homophone: (Brazil) robe

### Noun

hobby m (plural hobbies)
* hobby (an activity that one enjoys doing in one’s spare time)
    Synonym: passatempo

### Further reading

* “hobby”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025

## Romanian
### Etymology

Borrowed from English hobby.

### Noun

hobby n (plural hobby-uri)
* hobby

#### Declension
## Spanish
### Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English hobby.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈxobi/ [ˈxo.β̞i]
* Rhymes: -obi

### Noun

hobby m (plural hobbys)
* hobby (activity)
    Synonyms: pasatiempo, afición

#### Usage notes

* According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.

### Further reading

* “hobby”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

## Swedish
### Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English hobby.

### Noun

hobby c
* hobby (activity)

#### Declension
### Further reading

* hobby in Svensk ordbok.