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

But that’s hardly surprising in a state where the president is about as popular as $6-a-gallon gas and $10-a-pound hamburger. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Other food options include a mini hamburger, watermelon bite, and wood-roasted trumpet mushroom. — Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026

Left to his own devices, Bek figured out how to cook hamburgers on the stove for himself and his younger brother, Channing. — Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026

There will also be hamburger steak, beef tips, pork chops and chicken and dumplings, too. — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 24 Sep. 2026

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.

Geographical Definition

Hamburg

geographical name

Ham·​burg ˈham-ˌbərg 

ˈhäm-ˌbu̇rg, 

-ˌbu̇rk 

city and port on the Elbe River in northern Germany 68 miles (109 kilometers) from its mouth; a state of the Federal Republic of Germany 1948–90 and of reunified Germany since then area 288 square miles (749 square kilometers)

Hamburger

ˈham-ˌbər-gər 

-ˌbu̇r-

noun