: a brittle or chewy glazed usually salted slender bread often shaped like a loose knot
Examples of pretzel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
BrewDog Denver, 3950 Wynkoop St., opens at noon Friday, April 19, in a 10,000-square-foot space with two patios, a 3.5-barrel brewing system, games and a full menu featuring burgers, giant pub pretzels, salads and wings.
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Jonathan Shikes, The Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2024
A couple of sandwiches, sliders, soft pretzels and nachos will round out the food menu.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pretzel 
Jonathan Shikes, The Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2024
A couple of sandwiches, sliders, soft pretzels and nachos will round out the food menu.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pretzel
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Cite this Entry
“Pretzel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pretzel. Accessed 5 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pretzel
noun
pret·zel
ˈpret-səl 
: a brown cracker that is salted and usually hard and shaped like a loose knot
Etymology
from German Brezel "pretzel," derived from Latin brachiatus (adjective) "having branches like arms," from brachium, "arm" — related to brace entry 2
Word Origin
Pretzels were probably first made in the U.S. during the 19th century by immigrants from Germany. The English word pretzel comes from the German Brezel. The familiar knot-shaped pretzel has been known in Germanic countries for centuries. Its German name comes from the Latin brachiatus, which means "having branches like arms." The pretzel likely got its name because its knot shape looks something like a pair of folded arms.
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