Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “hob or nob” come from?

hob or nob (English) comes from English hab nab, from Old English habban, from Proto-West Germanic habbjan, from Proto-Germanic habjaną, from Proto-Indo-European kh₂pyé-, from Proto-Indo-European keh₂p- — to seize, grab; to seize; take up; lift; to take,...

hob or nob (English): a phrase spoken when making a toast, possibly...

Definitions

  1. a phrase spoken when making a toast, possibly...

Ancestry of “hob or nob”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishhab nabto have or have not, in the sense of an...
2Old Englishhabbanto have, to possess; have
3Proto-West Germanichabbjanto have; to lift
4Proto-Germanichabjanąto have, to hold; to lift, heave
5Proto-Indo-Europeankh₂pyé-—
6Proto-Indo-Europeankeh₂p-to seize, grab; to seize; take up; lift; to take,...

Words derived from “hob or nob”

  • hobnob
  • hobnobber
Every word from Proto-Indo-European keh₂p- →