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

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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

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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

“You will be my guest at Mar-a-Lago. The problem is that for $5,000 the most you’ll be able to buy is a hamburger and maybe a small dessert,” Trump said, laughing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

Patriotism became a word printed beside a hamburger, waiting for you to decide whether to say it.

From Salon ● Sep. 2, 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

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

For apples and carrots and day-old hamburger buns, you couldn’t beat the deer and buffalo pens.

From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli

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

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

“Keeping herself in rent and hamburgers, I guess. That’s what I’m doing working at a warehouse.”

From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler

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