burger (French)
Where does "burger" come from?
The French noun 'burger' entered the language as an unadapted borrowing from English 'burger'[1]. The English term arose around 1939 as a clipping of 'hamburger', which was rebracketed as 'ham' plus 'burger'[2]. This English root ultimately stems from a shortening of 'Hamburger sandwich' or 'Hamburger steak', or possibly from the German word 'Hamburger' meaning a native of Hamburg[3].
Open questions
- The American sense of the English word burger is likely a back-formation from Burgerland. [2]
- The derivation of hamburger from German Hamburger is considered less likely than it being a shortening of Hamburger sandwich or steak. [3]
Full etymology tree
- burger (French), 'synonym of hamburger (“burger”)'
- borrowed burger (English), 'A hamburger.'
- clipping hamburger (English), 'A hot sandwich consisting of a patty of cooked ground beef or a meat substitute, in a sliced bun, usually also containing salad vegetables, condiments, or both.'
- abbreviation Hamburger sandwich (English)
- clipping hamburger (English), 'A hot sandwich consisting of a patty of cooked ground beef or a meat substitute, in a sliced bun, usually also containing salad vegetables, condiments, or both.'
- borrowed burger (English), 'A hamburger.'
Ancestors
- burger (English)
Sources
Updated August 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris