Hobbies are a huge part of what makes us, well, us. Between the grind of making a living and taking care of our families and homes, we look to hobbies as a way to maintain a sense of self and individuality. So why not embrace a more illustrious title? Why call yourself a "birder" when you could be an "ornithophile"? Especially appropriate for you, the logophile ("word lover") that you are, here's a list of fancy words to describe common (and some not-so-common) hobbies and activities.
Cruciverbalist
A cruciverbalist loves to create and solve crossword puzzles. This word is an example of "mock" or "dog" Latin, meaning a phrase or jargon that imitates Latin by translating modern English words using traditional Latin roots. "Cruciverbalist" comes from the Latin root cruci- (a form of crux, or "cross" — think "crucifix") and verbum, meaning "word." Crossword puzzles originated in the early 20th century, and as they grew in popularity, enthusiasts began looking for a word to identify themselves. By 1971, Crossword magazine was actively trying to coin one: "A succinct word to describe people who regularly attempt to solve crossword puzzles. A number of subscribers, including Jonathan Crowther, one of our crossword contributors, proposed 'cruciverbalist.'"
Philatelist
A philatelist is one who engages in philately, or the collection and study of postage stamps. It comes from a French word coined by stamp collector Georges Herpin in 1865, philatélie. This came from the Greek phil- ("loving") and atelēs, meaning "free from tax or charge." This was the ancient Greek word that Herpin believed most closely articulated the concept of what a postage stamp does.
Yogi
A yogi practices yoga. The word for the person is derived from "yoga," which comes from Hindu and Sanskrit roots literally meaning "union, yoking" (in this sense, a union or yoking with the Supreme Spirit). "Yogi" began to appear in English usage, particularly in anthropological texts, in the early 1600s; at this point, it referred more specifically to "an ascetic who practices the Indian philosophical or spiritual discipline of yoga," or "an expert practitioner or teacher of yoga." As the activity has become more mainstream in the Western world, this word has been adapted to describe anyone who commits to a regular yoga practice.
Equestrian
As an adjective, this word describes anything related to horse riding, and as a noun, "equestrian" refers specifically to a rider or performer on horseback. It appeared in English as an adjective in the mid-17th century from the Latin equester, meaning "belonging to a horseman," tracing back to the Latin roots eques ("horseman, knight") and equus ("horse"). "Equestrian" as a noun dates from the late 18th century.
Plangonologist
This is a very obscure word — so obscure that it hasn't made it into the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) yet. That said, the New York Times used it in a 1967 article on the subject, which is doll collecting. (A plangonologist is one who collects dolls.) Because it is not listed in the OED, the etymology is a bit fuzzy, but some suggest that the roots come from ancient Greece. In ancient Greek theater, women were not allowed to act, so wax dolls called plaggon were used in their place.
Numismatist
A numismatist practices numismatics, which is "the study or collection of coins, paper currency, and medals." The word for the hobby appeared in English in 1788 from the French numismatiste, which in turn derives from the Latin numismat-, a stem of numisma ("current coin").
Tegestologist
Here's another very irregular word for a common hobby: A tegestologist collects beer mats and coasters. The term comes from the Latin teges ("covering, mat") or tegĕre ("to cover"). It popped up in English in the 1960s. One example of its usage comes from a 1966 British magazine article discussing the habit of stealing beer mats from bars: "'Here let tegestology exact its tribute from a royal embrace' (meaning, pinch a beer-mat from the Queen's Arms)."
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