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
Those who became ill with E. coli infections consistently reported eating McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers, so the item has been removed from the menus of locations in Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming and portions of eight other states.
—
Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
Read More McDonald’s stock gets a downgrade because the E. coli outbreak is a ‘significant’ threat
Financial services firm Baird has downgraded its rating on McDonald’s to neutral due to increasing concerns over an E. coli outbreak linked to the chain’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers.
—Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 25 Oct. 2024
Most sick people reported eating Quarter Pounder hamburgers from McDonald’s, and both the CDC and FDA said it was investigated which ingredient was contaminated.
—Ty Roush, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Most people who got sick reported eating Quarter Pounder hamburgers in the days before their illnesses struck.
—Meg Wingerter, The Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hamburger 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
Read More McDonald’s stock gets a downgrade because the E. coli outbreak is a ‘significant’ threat
Financial services firm Baird has downgraded its rating on McDonald’s to neutral due to increasing concerns over an E. coli outbreak linked to the chain’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers.
—Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 25 Oct. 2024
Most sick people reported eating Quarter Pounder hamburgers from McDonald’s, and both the CDC and FDA said it was investigated which ingredient was contaminated.
—Ty Roush, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Most people who got sick reported eating Quarter Pounder hamburgers in the days before their illnesses struck.
—Meg Wingerter, The Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hamburger
Dictionary Entries Near hamburger
Cite this Entry
“Hamburger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hamburger. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share