pretzel (English)
Where does "pretzel" come from?
The word 'pretzel' traces its origins back to the Latin word 'brāchium', meaning 'arm'. It evolved into the Vulgar Latin term 'brāchiātellus', a diminutive meaning 'little arms', to describe the pastry's shape, which resembles folded arms. This term eventually passed into Old High German as 'brēzitella' before becoming the German 'Brezel' and finally entering English as 'pretzel'.
Full etymology tree
- pretzel (English), 'A toasted bread or cracker usually in the shape of a loose knot.'
- inherited Pretzel (German)
- contraction Brezel (German), 'pretzel; any kind of baked good in the form of a loose knot'
- inherited brēzel (Middle High German)
- inherited brēzitella (Old High German), 'A pastry, especially a pretzel.'
- borrowed *brāchiātellus (Latin), 'small armful'
- derived brāchiātus (Latin), 'alternative form of bracchiātus'
- derived brāchium (Latin), 'alternative form of bracchium (“arm”)'
- inherited βραχίων (brakhíōn) (Ancient Greek), 'upper arm'
- derived brāchium (Latin), 'alternative form of bracchium (“arm”)'
- suffix -ellus (Latin), 'alternative form of -ulus'
- derived brāchiātus (Latin), 'alternative form of bracchiātus'
- borrowed *brāchiātellus (Latin), 'small armful'
- inherited brēzitella (Old High German), 'A pastry, especially a pretzel.'
- inherited brēzel (Middle High German)
- contraction Brezel (German), 'pretzel; any kind of baked good in the form of a loose knot'
- inherited Pretzel (German)
Direct ancestors
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris