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

My dad hosted a bagel brunch last week, and sesame seeds ended up everywhere—the kitchen, the dining room, everywhere. —Jamie Fischer, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Dec. 2025

Top toast, a bagel, or a banana with nut butter. —Maxine Lipner, Verywell Health, 16 Dec. 2025

Better Half Bagel does monthly pre-orders and pickups of his bagel four-packs ($15). —Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 12 Dec. 2025

Housed in a log cabin, the cafe serves up a variety of beverages as well as bagels, breakfast burritos, and breakfast sandwiches. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2025

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