bagel

American  

[bay-guhl] / ˈbeɪ gəl /

noun

• bagels
  plural

1. a leavened, doughnut-shaped, firm-textured roll, with a brownish glazed surface, made of dough first poached and then baked.

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bagel British  

/ ˈbeɪɡəl /

noun

1. a hard ring-shaped bread roll, characteristic of Jewish baking

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• bagels
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of bagel

1930–35; < Yiddish beygl; compare dialectal German Beugel < Germanic *baug- ring ( see bee ²) + *-il- noun suffix

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Compare meaning

How does bagel compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• bialy vs. bagel

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Explanation

A bagel is a kind of baked good made by boiling and then baking a circle of dough until the inside is chewy and the outside is slightly crisp. New York is famous for having many great bagel shops. A bagel is a traditional Jewish roll that's shaped like a doughnut and often served sliced in half, toasted, and spread with butter or cream cheese. New Yorkers claim that their city has the best bagels in the world, although Montreal is also known for its delicious bagels. The word is from the Yiddish beygl, with an Old High German root, boug, or "ring," which describes a bagel's shape.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bagel bagels

Red pepper flakes and everything bagel seasoning cover the remaining territory — heat, funk, nuttiness, crunch — in a few economical shakes.

From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026

There was all the improvised art, including the chant that swept the town: “My mayor is Muslim / My bagel is Jewish / My Christian’s Dior / Knicks in four.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026

It was the first time a woman had won a Wimbledon final with a double bagel - the name given to a victory without dropping a game - since Dorothea Lambert Chambers in 1911.

From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026

She’s one of us, a fan of an onion bagel for breakfast, even if it makes her breath stink.

From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2026

Somewhere just after the endless Highway 900, after a lunch stop for a bagel and water, Annabelle tackles the Coal Mines Trail, which parallels a railroad track before looping through a dark and fern-filled forest.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

Falafel and hummus, with varying recipes and consistencies, flow freely across countries of several faiths and backgrounds, while pizza bagels are a frozen food staple and challah French toast is seemingly everywhere.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Over the years, protein powders and shakes have attracted a much broader customer base, while food manufacturers now offer high-protein versions of everything from bagels to water.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

The bagels from Slow to Rise Bakery come in offbeat flavors like cacio e pepe and cranberry orange and cost $20 for a half dozen.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026

A subway station near Madison Square Garden has been given a Knicks-themed makeover, and businesses across New York City's five boroughs are offering meal deals and special orange-and-blue ice-cream and bagels.

From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026

“New York’s got pizza, bagels, and cheesecake. I could go on,” boasts Jay.

From "Paradise on Fire" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

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