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

By her side was three-year-old Lili, whose little hands could be seen working on her own bagel. 06 of 20 Celebrating Love Prince Archie also made a brief cameo in the sweet video. —Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 5 Mar. 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, 2 Mar. 2025

Even some die-hard Zabar’s shoppers pre-occupied by their weekly running list of fish, bagels, and coffee, rarely make it up to the housewares department. —Kristin L. Wolfe, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025

Go for the dirty chai, stay for the vibes and Indian breakfast, samosas and Masala bagel sandwich. —Sabrina Moreno, Axios, 7 Feb. 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

1908, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bagel

noun

ba·​gel ˈbā-gəl 

: a firm doughnut-shaped roll