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 addition to classics such as plain and asiago, options include Mediterranean, black sesame garlic, and rosemary sea salt bagels. —AFAR Media, 14 May 2025

This model has five air-fryer-specific presets on the knob (air fry, fries, wings, bacon, and crispy reheat) plus five other presets (bake/roast, broil, pizza, bagel, and toast). —Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 May 2025

Operating only on the weekends (Thursday service starts May 22), The Counter transforms the casual bagel shop into an intimate 14-seat kaiseki-style dinner venue, offering a traditional Japanese tasting experience highlighting hyper-seasonal ingredients. —Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 6 May 2025

Popular legend has it that the particular quality of the tap water is what makes the city’s bagels and pizza so distinctly tasty. —Yuvraj Khanna, New York Times, 1 May 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