Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 12, 2026 is hobnob. Hobnob is a verb meaning to socialize with others. It is particularly used when interacting with people of higher social status. One can learn a lot about an industry by hobnobbing with its professionals. An artist might choose not to hobnob with record executives if their primary focus is the music itself. The word has roots in Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night. There, "hob, nob" was an expression akin to "take it or leave it." This phrase evolved from Middle English terms meaning "whether I have or don't have." Over time, "hobnob" shifted from meaning to drink socially. Eventually, it came to mean spending time with someone in a friendly manner. Today, it often implies mingling with famous or important individuals.