lox

¹ American  

[loks] / lɒks /

noun

1. a kind of brine-cured salmon, having either a salt cure Scandinavian lox or a sugar cure Nova Scotia lox, often eaten with cream cheese on a bagel.

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lox ² American  

[loks] / lɒks /

Or LOX

noun

1. liquid oxygen.

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lox ¹ British  

/ lɒks /

noun

1. a kind of smoked salmon

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lox ² British  

/ lɒks /

noun

1. short for liquid oxygen, esp when used as an oxidizer for rocket fuels

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Etymology

Origin of lox¹

First recorded in 1940–45; from Yiddish laks “salmon”; compare Middle High German, Old High German lahs, cognate with Old English leax, Old Norse lax; see gravlax ( def. )

Origin of lox²

First recorded in 1920–25; l(iquid) ox(ygen)

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Explanation

Lox is brined, smoked, and very thinly sliced salmon that's often served with cream cheese on bagels. You can almost always find lox at traditional delis in large cities; it's the pink, slimy stuff next to the cold cuts. There are many different kinds of lox, all of them first cured in brine (a marinade of salted water), and most of them then lightly smoked. Bagels and lox is a speciality of most Jewish delicatessens, which is fitting since the word lox comes from the Yiddish laks, or "salmon." It shares an Indo-European root with the Scottish and Scandinavian word for lox, gravlax.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lox

We’ll either get a half dozen of the mini ones or four of the regular-sized ones with the seeds on them, and we’ll get cream cheese, of course, and lox.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026

I’m about to order the L.E.O., which is Gingrass Smoked salmon lox, three eggs and onions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2026

He invoked what he loved about growing up in the city, the languages, foods, and neighborhoods, the fact that he, a Muslim, can have bagel and lox as one of his weekly rituals.

From Slate ● Jan. 3, 2026

His wife is Jewish, but he grew up eating bagels and lox long before that.

From Salon ● Dec. 14, 2025

The day they met, Rossolimo was sitting on a sofa, eating a bagel with lox and cream cheese, and he spoke to Bobby with his mouth full.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

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