How to pronounce hobby
Say it like HOB-ee. Hobby has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HOB).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce hobby. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HOB
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hobby pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HOBSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of hobby
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: HOB-ee.
What does hobby mean?
- 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
Where does hobby come from?
The modern sense of "pastime, activity of interest" is a clipping of hobby horse, which had 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".
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with hobby
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of hobby.
Questions about saying hobby
How do you pronounce hobby?
Say HOB-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈhɑbi/. In British English it is /ˈhɒbi/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hobby?
Hobby has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HOB). Broken into parts: HOB · ee.
Is hobby pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈhɒbi/ (HOB-ee).