Some words, like “new-fangled,” make you wonder ― why does the second part of that exist at all?Well, with the festive season coming up, I’ve been thinking the same thing about eggnog.The creamy, gently-spiced drink isn’t really my cup of tea ― but the word is pretty interesting, isn’t it?Aside from “noggin,” I can’t really think of where else I read the syllable. So what does it mean?We aren’t sure ― but etymologists have theoriesUnfortunately, we can’t say for sure where the second syllable comes from – some think the word “eggnog” dates back to 18th-century America, though TIME says British monks likely drank the same recipe as far back as the 13th century. Nonetheless, researchers have theories. Merriam-Webster defines “nog” as “a strong ale formerly brewed in Norfolk, England,” dating its first use back to 1693. Notably, that’s 82 years before the first recorded use of the word “eggnog.”