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

He said his wife discovered her allergy only this spring when she “turned red as an Oompa Loompa” and went into anaphylaxis two hours after eating a hamburger.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 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

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

This squeeze starts upstream on the ranch and flows straight through to your hamburger on the grill.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

I scrape the yuck off the top of the bun, and smear it on top of Char’s hamburger.

From "The Skin I'm In" by Sharon G. Flake

We’re one of the world’s largest exporters and eat about as many hamburgers per person as America, except topped with beetroot.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026

But he just doodles pictures of hamburgers during those.

From Slate ● Sep. 19, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Spend enough years standing behind pyramids of hamburgers, posing at fry stations and inserting yourself into the iconography of American restaurant chains, and eventually the props begin to accrue meanings of their own.

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026

She rallies over a hundred volunteers, Rae and me included, to go around the city hand-delivering, you guessed it, hamburgers and donated blankets to the local homeless.

From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone