English Explanatory Dictionary

pretzel

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A toasted bread or cracker usually in the shape of a loose knot.
  2. Anything that is knotted, twisted, or tangled.
verb
  1. To bend, twist, or contort.

Pronunciation

/ˈpɹɛt.səl/ [ˈpʰɹɛʔt͡sɫ̩] en-us-pretzel.ogg en-au-pretzel.ogg

Word forms

pretzel pretzels brezel bretzel pretzeling pretzelling pretzeled pretzelled

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *mreǵʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-us Proto-Indo-European *mréǵʰus Proto-Hellenic *brəkʰús Ancient Greek βρᾰχῠ́ς (brăkhŭ́s) Proto-Indo-European *-yōsder. Proto-Indo-European *-isō Proto-Hellenic *-ihō Ancient Greek -ῑ́ων (-ī́ōn) Ancient Greek βρᾰχῑ́ων (brăkhī́ōn)bor. Latin bracchium Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātus Latin bracchiātus Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -ulus Latin -ellus Vulgar Latin *brāchiātellusbor. Old High German brēzitella Middle High German brēzel German Brezel German Pretzelbor. English pretzel From dialectal German Pretzel, a variant of standard Brezel, from Old High German brēzitella, from Vulgar Latin *brāchiātellus, diminutive of Latin brāchium, bracchium (“arm”); named for the appearance of folded arms.

Synonyms

bend twist contort pretzelize pretzel up

Derived words

get one's panties in a pretzel minipretzel pretzel-bender pretzelize pretzel knot pretzellike pretzel link pretzelosity pretzel pillow pretzel style pretzel syndrome
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