: 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
The Baltimore Orioles offer seven food items at $4 or less, including hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, pretzel bites and desserts.
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Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
That's a long way from when her father sold pretzel bags door-to-door nearly four decades ago.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
There are chips, corn chip dippers, and mini pretzel nuggets all crushed and covered in milk chocolate.
—Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2025
This venue is open 24 hours a day with a menu of complimentary bar snacks like pretzel bites with spicy mustard, bowls of chili and burgers.
—Ramsey Qubein, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
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Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
That's a long way from when her father sold pretzel bags door-to-door nearly four decades ago.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
There are chips, corn chip dippers, and mini pretzel nuggets all crushed and covered in milk chocolate.
—Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2025
This venue is open 24 hours a day with a menu of complimentary bar snacks like pretzel bites with spicy mustard, bowls of chili and burgers.
—Ramsey Qubein, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretzel
Cite this Entry
“Pretzel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pretzel. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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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