hamburger

American  

[ham-bur-ger] / ˈhæmˌbɜr gər /

Also hamburg

noun

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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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

Suddenly, the half-empty carton of cream in the fridge, the berries on the brink of collapse and the hamburger buns lingering in the bread box stop looking like scraps and start looking like material.

From Salon • May 25, 2026

Five years later, White Castle opened the first fast-food hamburger joint.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

Viewed edge-on, the disk resembles a hamburger with a dark center surrounded by glowing layers of dust and gas above and below it.

From Science Daily • May 12, 2026

Called the Big Arch, the double-patty burger packs 1,020 calories and sells for around $9, or more than five times the price of that original 1958 hamburger after inflation, though prices vary by location.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

Mister Mancini had to stand on his tiptoes to ask for his hamburger, and even then his head failed to reach the counter.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris