hamburger

American  

[ham-bur-ger] / ˈhæmˌbɜr gər /

Also hamburg

noun

• hamburgers
  plural

1. a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground or chopped beef, usually in a roll or bun, variously garnished.

2. ground or chopped beef.

3. Also called Hamburg steak.  a patty of ground or chopped beef, seasoned and fried or broiled.

4. Digital Technology. hamburger menu.

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hamburger British  

/ ˈhæmˌbɜːɡə /

noun

1. Also called: Hamburger steak.   beefburger.  a flat fried cake of minced beef, often served in a bread roll

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• hamburgers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of hamburger

First recorded in 1880–85; short for Hamburger steak or Hamburg steak, a dish that originated in Hamburg, Germany, the port city from which many Germans emigrated to the United States, or in New York City and was made popular by immigrant Germans in the 19th century in Greater New York; see -er ¹

Explanation

A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked meat patty on a bun or roll. You can order a hamburger, fries, and a shake at most fast food restaurants. Hamburgers are traditionally made with ground beef and served with onions, tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup, and other garnishes. You can also make a hamburger with turkey or other kinds of meat — although rarely, if ever, is ham used in a hamburger. Hamburgers were originally called "hamburg steak," named for the German city of Hamburg, although no actual connection between the place and the food has ever been documented.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hamburger hamburgers

On Monday, Regis said, he briefly walked away from his hamburger when a worker called out to him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

The best documented, however, are that of an American airline pilot who died hours after eating a hamburger in 2024, and Jeremy's.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

Rapport matters, and if you don’t have confidence in this guy when you are done politely grilling him like a hamburger on the Fourth of July, move on to someone who does.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026

Inflation has been creeping up since February, but your wallet will feel a lot lighter after you scan the hamburger, hot dogs, buns, and even the barbecue sauce for your America’s 250th birthday party.

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

“Hi, Paul. House beer, and a hamburger with all the trimmings. No fries.”

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman

Church fairs were as likely to serve pancit and spring rolls as hamburgers and tacos.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Health authorities in 2024 traced a deadly E. coli outbreak to McDonald’s hamburgers dressed with Taylor Farms’ slivered yellow onions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

Some customers are leaving vegetables off hamburgers and sandwiches, but people are still ordering salads.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026

In the episode, Celenza uses the two for a breakfast sandwich, but mayo and hot sauce can be used in a multitude of meals: sandwiches, salads, marinades, hamburgers, tacos… do I need to keep going?

From Salon ● Jul. 2, 2026

Three hamburgers, two fries, one chicken sandwich, and drinks ended up costing us $43.11!

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers