"Not by any legitimate definition"?! I just cited the dictionary. What do
you consider a source of legitimate definitions?
Whether you feel comfortable sharing it or not is not a part of the definition. We all get it: you don't like the word. But the word means what it means, not what you want it to mean. Watching TV meets the definition. Getting shitfaced drunk on the regular every Friday meets the definition. Stealing hubcaps for fun meets the definition. It's unlikely anyone would answer the job interview question with any of those things, but that's really quite irrelevant.
Quite the opposite is true: It is not a hobby in your mind but is by legitimate definition.
Your arguments are irrelevant. People call it a hobby because they want to sugar coat the truth of what it actually is or are ashamed to call a spade a spade.
Apologies. Had to take a shot. If a person is going to be pedantic, they need to back it up with objective facts not subjective feelings.
Personally though I don't see a problem with generic. "Consultant" is generic too but people put it on business cards without added context.