hamburger
noun
ham·burg·er
ˈham-ˌbər-gər 
variants
or hamburg
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
At the after party, Perry switched things up by dressing up as a realistic-looking hamburger.
—
Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024
Now, a person can find a hamburger next door at Birch & Barley for $21 or a few blocks away at Le Diplomate for $24.
—Theresa Vargas, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024
And although some people are motivated by sacrifice — giving up gas cars or driving fewer miles, for instance — many more can be made to worry about government taking away their pickup trucks or hamburgers or gas stoves, popular talking points for conservative politicians looking to win elections.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024
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
Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024
Now, a person can find a hamburger next door at Birch & Barley for $21 or a few blocks away at Le Diplomate for $24.
—Theresa Vargas, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024
And although some people are motivated by sacrifice — giving up gas cars or driving fewer miles, for instance — many more can be made to worry about government taking away their pickup trucks or hamburgers or gas stoves, popular talking points for conservative politicians looking to win elections.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024
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
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hamburger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near hamburger
Cite this Entry
“Hamburger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hamburger. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hamburger
noun
ham·burg·er
ˈham-ˌbər-gər
variants
or hamburg
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.
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