Culture & Lifestyle • Food

Lox

Lox is a food term for salmon that has been cured in brine and is sometimes smoked.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Lox is a food term for salmon that has been cured in brine and is sometimes smoked. In North American usage, it is often served thinly sliced on bagels with cream cheese and other garnishes. The term is familiar in Canadian urban deli and bagel culture, especially in cities with strong Jewish food traditions.

Definition and usage

Lox is a culinary term for salmon that has been cured in brine and may also be smoked. In everyday North American usage, it is often treated as a type of smoked salmon, though some food writers distinguish true lox from smoked varieties.

Serving traditions

Lox is strongly associated with bagels, cream cheese, and deli-style garnishes such as onion, tomato, cucumber, and capers. It is especially connected with American Jewish deli food.

Etymology

The word is generally traced to Yiddish laks, meaning salmon. Some sources note related forms in German and Scandinavian languages, reflecting the long history of cured salmon in northern and eastern European food traditions.

Distinction from smoked salmon

Usage varies by source: some dictionaries define lox as smoked salmon, while food references often describe true lox as brined but not smoked. Nova lox is often used for salmon that is brined and lightly smoked.

Other meanings

Outside food, LOX is a standard abbreviation for liquid oxygen, especially in engineering and rocketry. This meaning appears in dictionaries alongside the food sense.

Key facts

Lox refers to salmon preserved in brine and sometimes smoked.
It is commonly associated with bagels and cream cheese in North American deli cuisine.
Some sources distinguish true lox as brine-cured but not smoked, while others use the term more broadly for smoked salmon.
The term is commonly traced to Yiddish laks, meaning salmon.

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Canadian context

Lox is familiar in Canadian urban deli and bagel culture, especially in cities with strong Jewish food traditions. Canadian English also recognizes the food term and the liquid-oxygen abbreviation.

Frequently asked questions

What is lox?

Lox is salmon preserved in brine and sometimes smoked, often served thinly sliced.

Is lox the same as smoked salmon?

Not always. Some sources use the terms broadly, but many food references distinguish true lox as brined but not smoked.

Why is lox served with bagels?

It became a classic deli pairing in American Jewish cuisine, especially with cream cheese and toppings like capers and onion.

Where does the word lox come from?

It is commonly traced to the Yiddish word laks, meaning salmon.

Does lox have any non-food meaning?

Yes. LOX is also a common abbreviation for liquid oxygen in science and engineering.

References

Merriam-Webster — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lox
Supports: Defines lox as salmon cured in brine and sometimes smoked; also lists liquid oxygen.
Cambridge Dictionary — https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/lox
Supports: Defines lox as salmon preserved with smoke and gives the bagel-and-cream-cheese usage.
Dictionary.com — https://www.dictionary.com/browse/lox
Supports: Describes lox as brine-cured salmon, notes smoked variants, and gives the Yiddish etymology.
Wiktionary — https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/lox
Supports: Lists the Yiddish-derived food sense, the liquid oxygen sense, and notes usage distinctions.
Britannica Dictionary — https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/lox
Supports: Defines lox as smoked salmon in chiefly US usage.
Allrecipes — https://www.allrecipes.com/article/what-is-lox/
Supports: Explains true lox versus smoked salmon and notes the traditional bagel serving.