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

Those who became ill with E. coli infections consistently reported eating McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers, so the item has been removed from the menus of locations in Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming and portions of eight other states. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024

Read More McDonald’s stock gets a downgrade because the E. coli outbreak is a ‘significant’ threat Financial services firm Baird has downgraded its rating on McDonald’s to neutral due to increasing concerns over an E. coli outbreak linked to the chain’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers. —Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 25 Oct. 2024

Most sick people reported eating Quarter Pounder hamburgers from McDonald’s, and both the CDC and FDA said it was investigated which ingredient was contaminated. —Ty Roush, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024

Most people who got sick reported eating Quarter Pounder hamburgers in the days before their illnesses struck. —Meg Wingerter, The Denver Post, 24 Oct. 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.