hamburger

noun

ham·​burg·​er ˈham-ˌbər-gər 

variants or hamburg

ˈham-ˌbərg 

1

a

: ground beef

b

: a patty of ground beef

2

: a sandwich consisting of a patty of hamburger in a split typically round bun

Examples of hamburger in a Sentence

They served hot dogs and hamburgers at the cookout.

Add the cooked hamburger to the sauce.

Recent Examples on the Web

Inspectors observed an employee grabbing hamburger patties with gloves, then touching raw onions and mushrooms without properly washing their hands, according to the report. —Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 5 Apr. 2024

The restaurant, at 1860 S. Milton Road, will serve hamburgers, fries and shakes from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., its typical hours for Fridays and Saturdays. —Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 4 Apr. 2024

Harriet’s Hamburgers Papi Queso and The Plaid Penguin teamed up to serve old-fashioned hamburgers from a ‘50s-style diner stall. —Jessica Swannie, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2024

Recently, Journal Sentinel readers even named Nite Owl's hamburger among the best in Wisconsin. —Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2024

The restaurant and bar, originally built in 1929 as a residence, has been feeding and watering the communities around it with warmth, humor and hamburgers ever since Martin Duffy first opened the business in 1955. —Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2024

Yet these bungalows will soon serve a new purpose — micro restaurants offering Taiwanese pineapple cake and freshly ground hamburgers in a compound called Alpine Courtyard, morphing the pleasures of dining out with the nostalgic comforts of home. —Arielle Paul, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2024

Tree House’s offerings included hamburgers ($1.35), seafood platters ($2.75) and gelatin salad molded in the shape of animals, but its cakes were some of its most popular items. —Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024

The next night, Eberhart and I were parked between a hamburger joint and a vacant lot prowled by feral cats. —Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

German Hamburger of Hamburg, Germany

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

hamburger

noun

ham·​burg·​er ˈham-ˌbər-gər 

variants or hamburg

-ˌbərg 

1

a

: ground beef

b

: a cooked patty of ground beef

2

: a sandwich consisting of a patty of hamburger in a split round bun

Etymology

German Hamburger (adjective) "of Hamburg," city in Germany

Word Origin

It may seem odd that there isn't any ham in a hamburger. The origins of the word hamburger, however, have nothing to do with a type of meat. The word really comes from the name of the German city Hamburg. Hamburger, when capitalized, means "of Hamburg." Cakes of ground beef, often served raw, were a popular food in northern Germany in the 19th century, and so they became known in English as Hamburger steaks. The name was later shortened to hamburger. Most people no longer associate the word hamburger with the city of Hamburg, since the hamburger is now usually thought of as an American food.