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 a city where residents battle over borough supremacy, bagel orders, and parking spots, suddenly everyone was on the same team. —Sean Gregory, Time, 14 June 2026

Garnish with additional green onions and everything bagel seasoning. —Annie Krumhardt Peterson, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2026

Pizzeria del Capitano – which is included – also served bagels in the morning. —Nathan Diller, USA Today, 12 June 2026

More recently, food companies have sprinkled it into everything from breakfast cereals, Pop-Tarts and potato chips to bagels, tortillas and Starbucks drinks to meet growing consumer demand. —ABC News, 12 June 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