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avocation

/ˌævəˈkeɪʃən/
IPA guide

Other forms: avocations

An avocation is an activity that you pursue when you're not at work — a hobby. Pretty much anything can be an avocation: tennis, sudoku, writing poetry. If you're the journalist Clark Kent, your avocation is changing into a skintight red and blue jumpsuit and fighting crime.

A vocation is the work you do because you have to; an avocation is what you do for pleasure, not pay. The ancient Latin root is a vocare a calling away from one's work, or a distraction. Today we use the word more to refer to a serious hobby. If you like knitting beautiful sweaters, then you, my friend, have an avocation — as long as you're not making your living from it.

Definitions of avocation
  1. noun
    an auxiliary activity
    see moresee less
    types:
    spelaeology, speleology
    the pastime of exploring caves
    type of:
    interest, pastime, pursuit
    a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly)
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