avocation
/avə(ʊ)ˈkeɪʃən/
"avocation" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“avocation” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 9
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A calling away; a diversion.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | avocation |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /avə(ʊ)ˈkeɪʃən/ |
| Letters | 9 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “avocation” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for avocation is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /avə(ʊ)ˈkeɪʃən/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
avocation has no tracked misspelling variants, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin āvocātiō (“a distraction”), from āvocō (“I call off, distract”). The correct English form is avocation, spelled A-V-O-C-A-T-I-O-N.
Definition
- 1A calling away; a diversion.
- 2A hobby or recreational or leisure pursuit.
- 3That which calls one away from one's regular employment or vocation.
- 4Pursuits; duties; affairs which occupy one's time; usual employment; vocation.
- 5The calling of a case from an inferior to a superior court.
Etymology
From Latin āvocātiō (“a distraction”), from āvocō (“I call off, distract”).
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “avocation”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is A-V-O-C-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /avə(ʊ)ˈkeɪʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.