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Glite Dictionary
avocation

avocation

5 7.9
A hobby you do for pleasure besides your main job
  • noun
  • /ˌævəˈkeɪʃən/
: afición
  • Ornithology happens to be my avocation.
  • avocation and vocation

My goal in living is to unite my vocation with my avocation.

Examples

  • Colonials carried cameras everywhere, and educated Africans made photography an avocation as well.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Many individuals seeking an avocation have chosen to develop their abilities in taxonomy.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Restaurant keeping is my avocation.

    A Woman's Face (1941)

  • I have a interest in biology, just as an avocation, if you will.

  • By avocation, a collector of rare and unusual glass.

    The Deep (1977)

  • Use the money from these jobs to support your avocation of writing plays, poems, short stories, or novels.

    Academic text (2009)

  • The beauty of this avocation is that you can dive in whenever the spirit moves you.

    Academic text (2009)

  • I've also found a life-changing avocation in retirement.

    Academic text (2009)

  • The following personal reflections may help you understand some of the rewards and frustrations of this avocation.

    Academic text (2000)

  • My avocation is painting, which I enjoy doing in my free time.

Synonyms

hobby
vsavocation
298 1.0

An activity you do in free time for pleasure

is similar but can also be a small paid occupation
pursuit
vsavocation
40 3.9

An activity you do for pleasure in your free time

is the same idea but may imply a more formal secondary role
sideline
vsavocation
10 4.9

A job or business someone does to earn extra money

is more about enjoyment and not primarily for earning money
spare-time activity
vsavocation
1 2.5

An activity done in free time for fun or rest

is similar but often viewed as a lasting personal interest beyond mere relaxation
sideline interest
vsavocation
1 4.0

A hobby or small job you do beside your main job

is mainly a leisure pursuit rather than a paid side role

How Serious

sideline
10 4.9
avocation
5 7.9
hobby
298 1.0
pastime
52 2.0

Surface Forms

avocation singular
avocations plural

Morphology

avocation = vocation (semi-transparent) = a + vocation

The relation to 'vocation' is visible, but the prefix 'a-' meaning 'away from' and the resulting sense 'secondary occupation/hobby' is not a fully productive or obvious English pattern for many learners.

Etymology

Avocation comes from the Latin root voc- meaning 'to call' plus a part meaning 'away', and it is related to vocation which means a 'calling' or job. So an avocation is a 'calling away' — a hobby or second activity you do beside your main work.