[ hob-ee-hawrs ]
/ ˈhɒb iˌhɔrs /


a stick with a horse's head, or a rocking horse, ridden by children.
a figure of a horse, attached at the waist of a performer in a morris dance, pantomime, etc.
a pet idea or project.


Origin of hobbyhorse

First recorded in 1550–60; hobby1 + horse

Examples from the Web for hobbyhorse

British Dictionary definitions for hobbyhorse


/ (ˈhɒbɪˌhɔːs) /


a toy consisting of a stick with a figure of a horse's head at one end
another word for rocking horse
a figure of a horse attached to a performer's waist in a pantomime, morris dance, etc
a favourite topic or obsessive fixed idea (esp in the phrase on one's hobbyhorse)


(intr) nautical (of a vessel) to pitch violently

Word Origin for hobbyhorse

C16: from hobby 1, originally a small horse, hence sense 3; then generalized to apply to any pastime