bagel

noun

ba·​gel ˈbā-gəl 

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

In fact, California itself has experience with the benefits of the plain-bagel approach to housing. —Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026

Red pepper flakes, everything bagel seasoning, or cherry tomatoes round it out nicely. —Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2026

John and Carolyn splitting a joint and a bagel… couple goals. —Emma Specter, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2026

Griffler shrugged and took a bite of a bagel. —Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026

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

Kids Definition

bagel

noun

ba·​gel ˈbā-gəl 

: a firm doughnut-shaped roll