French fries, or at least their name, seem to be a wholly American invention, say editors at Merriam Webster Inc. Most theories about the origin of the term suggest "french" refers to the way of preparing the potatoes, and not to the dish's country of origin. One source contends that food that has been chopped into long, narrow strips has been "frenched." The term "french fried potatoes" was first recorded in the 19th century.
The word" hamburger," on the other hand, does have its origins in Europe. The term comes from the name of the German city Hamburg, where what was then called "Hamburg steak," actually ground beef, originated. In the 1850s, German immigrants brought the product and the word to the United States. By 1889, "Hamburg steak" had become "hamburger steak"' and by 1908, "hamburger."Not only has hamburger found a comfortable niche in the American diet, the word itself has achieved prominence in the American vocabulary. A new combining form, "-burger," has led to such compounds as "cheeseburger," "beefburger," "baconburger" and "nutburger," among many others.