avocation

/avə(ʊ)ˈkeɪʃən/

//avə(ʊ)ˈkeɪʃən// noun

"avocation" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“avocation” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A calling away; a diversion.

Corpus desk

Index EN-avocation · avocation · English

avocation · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "A" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for avocation
PropertyValue
Headwordavocation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/avə(ʊ)ˈkeɪʃən/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “avocation” in English

avocationranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

avocation is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /avə(ʊ)ˈkeɪʃən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

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

  1. 1
    A calling away; a diversion.
  2. 2
    A hobby or recreational or leisure pursuit.
  3. 3
    That which calls one away from one's regular employment or vocation.
  4. 4
    Pursuits; duties; affairs which occupy one's time; usual employment; vocation.
  5. 5
    The calling of a case from an inferior to a superior court.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how avocation appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. But though she could neither sleep nor rest in her bed, yet, having no avocation from it, she was found there by her father at his return from Allworthy's, which was not till past ten o'clock in the morning.
  2. But yield who will to their separation, My object in living is to unite My avocation and my vocation As my two eyes make one in sight.

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

How do you spell "avocation"?
"avocation" is spelled A-V-O-C-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /avə(ʊ)ˈkeɪʃən/.
What does "avocation" mean?
As a noun, "avocation" means: A calling away; a diversion.
How do you pronounce "avocation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "avocation" is /avə(ʊ)ˈkeɪʃən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "avocation"?
From Latin āvocātiō (“a distraction”), from āvocō (“I call off, distract”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list