noun
Uncommon
bagel
BAY-guhl
Bagel (noun) means a dense, ring-shaped bread roll that's boiled briefly before being baked. Example: “He toasted a bagel and spread cream cheese on it for breakfast.”
noun
1
A dense, ring-shaped bread roll that's boiled briefly before being baked.
"He toasted a bagel and spread cream cheese on it for breakfast."
2
In tennis, a set won or lost by a score of 6–0, named for the shape of the "0" resembling a bagel.
"She gave her opponent a bagel in the first set."
How to use bagel
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA chewy, ring-shaped bread, or in tennis slang, a set won without the loser scoring a single game.
Common pairings
bagel and cream cheese
toasted bagel
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Word forms
- Plural
- bagels
- Third person singular
- bagels
- Past tense
- bageled, bagelled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He toasted a _____ and spread cream cheese on it for breakfast.
Etymology
Borrowed from Yiddish beygl, ultimately traced back to a Middle High German word meaning "ring" or "bracelet," which describes the bread's distinctive round shape.
Synonyms
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beigel
Rhymes for bagel
See all rhymes for bagel →Frequently asked questions
What does “bagel” mean?
The word “bagel” means a dense, ring-shaped bread roll that's boiled briefly before being baked. In plain terms, a chewy, ring-shaped bread, or in tennis slang, a set won without the loser scoring a single game.
How do you pronounce “bagel”?
“Bagel” is pronounced BAY-guhl (/ˈbeɪ̯.ɡəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “bagel” in a sentence?
Here is “bagel” used in a sentence: “He toasted a bagel and spread cream cheese on it for breakfast.”
What part of speech is “bagel”?
“Bagel” is a noun.
Where does the word “bagel” come from?
The word “bagel” comes from German. Borrowed from Yiddish beygl, ultimately traced back to a Middle High German word meaning "ring" or "bracelet," which describes the bread's distinctive round shape.
Is “bagel” a common word?
“Bagel” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “bagel” have?
“Bagel” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a dense, ring-shaped bread roll that's boiled briefly before being baked.
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