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

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

I’d love a cooking spatula that could tell—without penetration—what temperature or how thoroughly cooked a hamburger or steak is, such as rare, medium or well done.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

So far, they have been to chains including the Tex-Mex staple Chipotle and the famous hamburger shop Shake Shack, as well as small, independently-run restaurants.

From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026

Harding posed for photos while biting into his hamburger, and popped onto a nearby patch of grass to smile with the planes.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

“Maybe it had something to do with all that hamburger meat,” she speculated.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen

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

Toward that end, Pulisic is about to become omnipresent, pitching shoes, sports drinks, beer, hamburgers, yogurt and crackers, among other things, during the World Cup.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026

When that man brought him to a fast-food restaurant and ordered hamburgers, Ahmad remembered, “I told him, ‘I don’t eat pork.’

From Slate ● Apr. 19, 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