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Synonyms

bratwurst

American  
[brat-wurst, -woorst, braht-, braht-voorsht] / ˈbræt wɜrst, -wʊərst, ˈbrɑt-, ˈbrɑtˌvʊərʃt /

noun

  1. a sausage made of pork, spices, and herbs, sometimes without a casing, usually served sautéed or broiled.


bratwurst British  
/ ˈbrɑːtˌwɜːst, ˈbraːtvurst /

noun

  1. a type of small pork sausage

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bratwurst

1910–15; < German, equivalent to brat ( en ) to roast, bake + Wurst sausage

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Explanation

Bratwurst is a fresh German sausage that's made using ground veal or pork. Next time you go to a baseball game, try a bratwurst instead of a hot dog! Bratwurst comes from the Old High German Brätwurst and the roots brät-, "chopped meat," and Wurst, "sausage." In Germany, there are as many as 40 different types of bratwurst, which vary depending on where you are, but most of which are served on a white roll with mustard (often with a side of sauerkraut). The first recorded evidence of bratwurst dates to the 1300s.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

One prisoner refers to a "rocket testing site" while discussing bratwurst supplies for the top brass.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

The moment he earned citizenship made him feel “reborn,” he told reporters over bratwurst last year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 17, 2026

Our favourites this year included a tribute to TV personality Kim Woodburn and a Charli XCX-themed banner bearing the legend "bratwurst".

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2025

Wisconsinites are prideful and you already mentioned the bratwurst, but I want to talk about cheese curds, frozen custard, the beer.

From Salon ● Mar. 20, 2024

The bratwurst was terrible and the kraut an insulting watery mess.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

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