Definition

1. Noun:
   • A sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground beef served in a split bun, often with additional ingredients: This is the primary meaning, referring to the complete food item.
   • Ground beef: In some contexts, particularly in North America, "hamburger" can refer to the raw or cooked minced beef itself, before it is formed into a patty or used in a sandwich.

Usage and Examples

• As a complete sandwich:
  • I ordered a cheeseburger, which is a hamburger with cheese.
  • For lunch, she ate a hamburger with lettuce and tomato.
• Referring to the meat:
  • The recipe calls for one pound of hamburger. (Here, it means a pound of ground beef.)
  • He bought hamburger to make meatloaf.

Advanced Usage and Notes

• The term originates from Hamburg, Germany, but the modern sandwich is considered an American invention.
• When referring to the meat, it is often used interchangeably with "ground beef" in casual American English, though "ground beef" is the more precise term.
• The sandwich is a global fast-food staple, with many regional variations in toppings and preparation.

Variants and Related Words

• Cheeseburger (n): A hamburger with a slice of cheese added.
• Hamburger patty (n): The disc-shaped portion of cooked ground beef, separate from the bun.
• Hamburger bun (n): The type of soft, round bread roll used to hold a hamburger.

Synonyms

• Burger (n, informal): A common short form for "hamburger" or "cheeseburger."
• Ground beef (n): The minced meat; a synonym for the second meaning of "hamburger."

Common Phrases and Collocations

• Hamburger joint (n): An informal restaurant, often a diner or fast-food outlet, specializing in hamburgers.
  • We found a great little hamburger joint downtown.
• Hamburger meat (n): Another phrase for ground beef.
  • She used hamburger meat for the spaghetti sauce.

Noun

1. beef that has been ground
2. a sandwich consisting of a fried cake of minced beef served on a bun, often with other ingredients