hamburger
noun
ham·burg·er
ˈham-ˌbər-gər 
variants
or hamburg
1
a
: ground beef
b
: a patty of ground beef
2
: a sandwich consisting of a patty of hamburger in a split typically round bun
Examples of hamburger in a Sentence
They served hot dogs and hamburgers at the cookout.
Add the cooked hamburger to the sauce.
Recent Examples on the Web
There is potential staying power of his remarks as Americans head into Memorial Day weekend facing rising prices for the hamburgers and hot dogs to be grilled.
—
ABC News, 16 May 2026
Today there is scant physical evidence that along the west side of Cordova Street there was once a community center as well as a grocery store, a barber shop/hair salon and, according to some unverified reports, a hamburger joint.
—Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
The 12 stamps include an image of the flag blowing in the wind; a baseball glove used by Jackie Robinson; a worn and weathered pickup truck; a dog; the Empire State Building; a barn; a teddy bear; a lighthouse; a racing sailboat; horses running free; a hamburger, and a Diné, or Navajo, blanket.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 12 May 2026
Even a hamburger as a symbol of the great American cookout.
—Brittany Talarico, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hamburger
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ABC News, 16 May 2026
Today there is scant physical evidence that along the west side of Cordova Street there was once a community center as well as a grocery store, a barber shop/hair salon and, according to some unverified reports, a hamburger joint.
—Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
The 12 stamps include an image of the flag blowing in the wind; a baseball glove used by Jackie Robinson; a worn and weathered pickup truck; a dog; the Empire State Building; a barn; a teddy bear; a lighthouse; a racing sailboat; horses running free; a hamburger, and a Diné, or Navajo, blanket.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 12 May 2026
Even a hamburger as a symbol of the great American cookout.
—Brittany Talarico, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hamburger
Cite this Entry
“Hamburger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hamburger. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hamburger
noun
ham·burg·er
ˈham-ˌbər-gər
variants
or hamburg
1
a
: ground beef
b
: a cooked patty of ground beef
2
: a sandwich consisting of a patty of hamburger in a split round bun
Etymology
German Hamburger (adjective) "of Hamburg," city in Germany
Word Origin
It may seem odd that there isn't any ham in a hamburger. The origins of the word hamburger, however, have nothing to do with a type of meat. The word really comes from the name of the German city Hamburg. Hamburger, when capitalized, means "of Hamburg." Cakes of ground beef, often served raw, were a popular food in northern Germany in the 19th century, and so they became known in English as Hamburger steaks. The name was later shortened to hamburger. Most people no longer associate the word hamburger with the city of Hamburg, since the hamburger is now usually thought of as an American food.
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