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

Imagine stacking multiple standard memory chips in layers like a hamburger. —Wayne Chang, CNN, 8 Dec. 2024

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed last month that slivered onions served on McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers were the probable source of an E. coli outbreak that prompted the fast-food restaurant chain to stop selling the menu item temporarily. —Erica Lamberg, Fox News, 3 Dec. 2024

The onions were served raw on Quarter Pounder hamburgers at McDonald's locations in Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming and other states. —Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024

The industry changed its practices after a 1993 E. coli outbreak linked to undercooked hamburgers served at Jack in the Box restaurants sickened more than 600 people and killed four children. —Emily Schmall, New York Times, 25 Nov. 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.