burger
/ˈbɜː.ɡər/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A burger is a flat round food made from meat, beans, or vegetables, often served in a bun. People usually eat it as a meal with salad, cheese, or sauce.
- I ordered a chicken burger for lunch.
- She made veggie burgers at home.
Adinary Nuance
Burger is more casual and food-focused than sandwich. A burger usually means a patty inside a bun, often with toppings. It is not used for most other sandwiches, even if they are served in bread. In modern English, people also say veggie burger or fish burger.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- bánh burger
- Spanish
- hamburguesa
- Chinese
- 汉堡
- Japanese
- ハンバーガー
- Korean
- 햄버거
Etymology
Burger is a short form of hamburger, first used in American English in the 20th century. Over time, it came to mean many kinds of filled buns, not just beef.
Common phrases
cheeseburgerveggie burgerburger jointburger and fries
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is burger the same as hamburger?
- Usually, yes. Burger is the shorter, more common word in everyday English.
- Can burger mean a vegetarian food?
- Yes. People say veggie burger or bean burger for meat-free burgers.
- Is burger a formal word?
- No. It is an everyday, informal word used in speaking and menus.