Which fictional creature does J.R.R. Tolkien describe as a “hobbit” in The Hobbit?

Bilbo Baggins is the hobbit at the center of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit.

Bilbo begins the story as a respectable resident of Hobbiton who values comfort, regular meals, and a quiet life. Gandalf and a company of dwarves draw him into a journey toward the Lonely Mountain, where he becomes involved in the attempt to recover the dwarves’ treasure from Smaug.

During the journey, Bilbo finds a mysterious ring in the goblin tunnels beneath the Misty Mountains. That encounter connects The Hobbit to The Lord of the Rings and makes Bilbo an important figure in the history of the One Ring.

Bilbo is related to Frodo Baggins, who later becomes the principal ring-bearer in The Lord of the Rings. Their relationship is sometimes confused because Bilbo adopts Frodo as his heir, but the two are not the same character.