bratwurst
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of bratwurst
1910–15; < German, equivalent to brat ( en ) to roast, bake + Wurst sausage
Compare meaning
How does bratwurst compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
Vocabulary lists containing bratwurst
World Cuisine - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
World Cuisine - Middle School and High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
5th Grade World Cuisine, List 2
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
German nationalists have never fully forgiven America for World War II. Nor for the cultural competition, from hamburgers’ supplanting bratwurst to the omnipresence of American films and music.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026
The first time I ever had a bratwurst, I was studying abroad in Salzburg, Austria.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 29, 2023
Austria’s bosna: Serve a bratwurst sausage inside a mini burger bun with onions and bosna sauce.
From BBC • May 10, 2023
Buttered spaetzle noodles are often pushed to the side of the dinner plate in favor of more sauerkraut, more bratwurst, more potato pancakes, more applesauce.
From Salon • Aug. 25, 2022
If you have a bit more than that, you can throw in a proper sausage, like a bratwurst, or maybe a fried egg.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.