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.
The redemption story is overused in sports, but Anisimova coming back from a double-bagel Wimbledon final defeat against Iga Świątek to beat the same player a couple of months later was extraordinary. The Athletic Tennis Staff, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025 New York's iconic Russ & Daughters celebrates 100 years of slinging bagels and lox this year. Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025 If frozen correctly, thawed cream cheese can still be spread on toast or bagels. Daryl Austin, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025 The bagel was salty, soft, chewy with a nice crust and not rubbery. Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 2025 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

1908, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bagel was in 1908

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bagel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bagel. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

bagel

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

More from Merriam-Webster on bagel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!