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

One of the entrepreneurs on the group chat was Juan Carlos Blaín Noste, who began delivering homemade hamburgers 14 years ago to fellow students at the University of Computer Sciences in Havana. — Rick Jervis, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

They will be grilled and served by a man named George Motz, a friend of Simonson’s but also, for more than two decades, my go-to hamburger expert. — Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026

Spend time with master art works by Rodin, Van Gogh and Turner – for free – and then grab a coffee or enjoy your pick of historic hamburger joints, food trucks, taco places and Ethiopian restaurants. — Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026

Vice President Jeremy Campbell said about 15,000 hot dogs, nearly 18,000 hamburgers and 2,400 pizzas will be served during the tournament's four-day run. — Leondra Head, CBS News, 27 Aug. 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.