An activity that one enjoys doing in one's spare time.
An extinct breed of horse native to the British Isles, also known as the Irish Hobby
Any of four species of small falcons in the genus Falco, especially Falco subbuteo.
Origin
, of Germanic origin: from Old French hober, ober, 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).
From Old French hobet, from Medieval Latin hopētus, diminutive of harpe.
Modern English dictionary
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