Definition of pretzel
: a brittle or chewy glazed usually salted slender bread often shaped like a loose knot
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Recent Examples of pretzel from the Web
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And yet, in high doses and over the long term, patients often experienced tardive dyskinesia, which includes tongue thrusting, lip smacking, restlessness, involuntary movements of arms and legs, which become twisted like pretzels.
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The pretzel croissant kind of overpowers its innards.
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Rold Gold waffle cone: Hard to complain about a section of waffle cone, with Rold Gold pretzels mixed in, stuck into a small scoop of Blue Bell Ice Cream.
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But don’t start buttering that smartphone pretzel just yet.
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Ever since Taylor Swift rode a swan pool float into our hearts during the summer of 2015, inflatables have popped up in practically every shape imaginable, from pizza to unicorns to pretzels.
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The holiday-themed pretzels come in two varieties: original and cinnamon sugar.
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Using a mixer for this step breaks down the pretzels too much.
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The ahi nachos were a much better starter than the pretzels.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pretzel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of pretzel
German Brezel, ultimately from Latin brachiatus having branches like arms, from brachium arm — more at brace
PRETZEL Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of pretzel for English Language Learners
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: a long, thin piece of bread that is usually salted and shaped like a knot or stick
PRETZEL Defined for Kids
Definition of pretzel for Students
: a brown cracker that is salted and is often shaped like a loose knot
History for pretzel
Pretzels have been known in the United States since as early as the 1830s, when the word pretzel (borrowed from German Brezel) first turns up in writing. In Germany, though, both the hard, knot-shaped bread and the word for it are many centuries older, going back to medieval German brezitela. The word is ultimately a borrowing from Latin brachiatus, “having branches like arms.” Twisted pastries such as pretzels must have been so called because they suggested a pair of folded arms.
Learn More about pretzel
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Spanish Central: Translation of pretzel Nglish: Translation of pretzel for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pretzel for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pretzel
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