nog
nɒɡ
noun
Origin
Middle English
nog — a strong drink; later, the drink itself or a portion of drink
Overview
Meaning Now
- A strong alcoholic drink, especially one made with eggs, milk or cream, sugar, and spirits; eggnog.
- In some historical or regional uses, a drink or serving of ale, beer, or liquor; a mug or portion of drink.
- In carpentry, a wooden block or short piece used as a filler or support.
Language path
Middle English → English
Earliest form
nog
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
Nog is best known today through eggnog, a holiday drink in English-speaking cultures. Historically, however, nog could refer more generally to a strong drink or a portion of alcohol. A separate carpentry use for a block or filler piece is also attested, but lexicographers are not fully certain whether that sense is historically the same word or an unrelated homonym.
Evolution
- Middle English
nog
“a strong alcoholic drink or portion of drink”
Early attestations are not always precise enough to separate all drink senses.
- Early Modern English
nog
“a drink, often ale or a strong mixed drink”
The word appears in regional and historical records with beverage-related meanings.
- Modern English
eggnog
“a festive drink made with eggs, milk or cream, sugar, and spirits”
The compound became the standard modern form; nog survives inside it and in some regional or technical senses.
- Modern English
nog
“a wooden block or support piece”
This may be a separate historical word or a specialized development; the relationship to the drink word is not securely established.
Connections
Word parts
nog
root
historically, a strong drink or a support block; etymology uncertain
-
other
no overt affix
Explore next
Related to nog
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.