A hobby or secondary job that someone does for pleasure or extra income, separate from their main career.
From Latin 'avocatio,' meaning 'a calling away' (avo- = away, -vocatio = calling). It originally meant something that distracted you from your main job, then evolved to mean any spare-time pursuit.
The word literally means being 'called away' from your real job—so your avocation is what tempts you away from your actual career, which is why many people's hobbies feel like a better calling than their 9-to-5.
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