bagel

noun

ba·​gel ˈbā-gəl How to pronounce bagel (audio)
plural bagels
1
: a firm doughnut-shaped roll traditionally made by boiling and then baking
2
[from the resemblance of a bagel to the zero in the score of such a set] tennis, slang : a set (see set entry 2 sense 15) in which one player or team wins every game
They were never in danger of losing, taking a 5-1 lead in the first set and registering a bagel in the second.—Mike McGovern

Examples of bagel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For instance, a plain English muffin typically contains about 120 to 150 calories, while a standard plain bagel often has 250 to 350 calories. — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026 New York does deep bagels and bodega coffee; the West Coast invented the whole third-wave, oat-milk-latte pipeline. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026 If and when hunger strikes, consider grabbing a signature New York slice or bagel to enjoy aboard the train. — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026 At Buffalo & Bergen, that means an Old Bay bagel piled with pimento cream cheese, bacon, lettuce, and tomato. — Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bagel

Word History

Etymology

Yiddish beygl, from Middle High German *böugel ring, from bouc ring, from Old High German; akin to Old English bēag ring, būgan to bend — more at bow

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bagel was in 1898

Browse Nearby Words

Bagehot
bagel
bag filter
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bagel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bagel. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bagel

noun
ba·​gel ˈbā-gəl How to pronounce bagel (audio)
: a firm doughnut-shaped roll

More from Merriam-Webster on bagel

Nglish: Translation of bagel for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bagel

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