A Wiener Is a Sausage From Vienna
A wiener is a frankfurter-style sausage. The name is simply German for Viennese, and hot dog culture kept it.
A wiener is a thin cooked sausage of the kind used in hot dogs. The name is a nationality: *Wiener* is German for Viennese, from *Wien*, the German name for Vienna. A *Wiener Würstchen* is a Viennese sausage, and American English kept the adjective and dropped the noun. Vienna and Frankfurt have argued over the sausage's parentage for a very long time.
- A thin sausage. *Wieners and mustard.*
- Wienerschnitzel — a breaded veal cutlet. *Wiener schnitzel with lemon.*
- Frankfurter — the rival name. *A frankfurter in a bun.*
- Weenie — an informal variant. *Cocktail weenies.*
- Wien — the German name for Vienna. *Wien in German.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | wiener | A grilled wiener. |
| Plural | wieners | Six wieners. |
| Variant | weenie | Cocktail weenies. |
| German | Wiener | Viennese. |
| Related | frankfurter | A frankfurter. |
- Wieners are boiled or grilled.Cooking.
- Wiener schnitzel is veal, not pork.Under Austrian law, strictly.
- Wiener means Viennese in German.Etymology.
Foods named after places
- Wiener — Vienna
- Frankfurter — Frankfurt
- Hamburger — Hamburg, not ham
- Bologna sausage — Bologna, and hence American baloney
- Champagne, cheddar, parmesan — all place names first
German *Wiener*, Viennese, from *Wien*, Vienna. The sausage sense entered American English in the 1860s and was clipped from *Wienerwurst*.
What is the difference between a wiener and a frankfurter?
Very little today. The names come from Vienna and Frankfurt respectively, and both cities claim the original.
Is a hamburger made of ham?
No. It is named after Hamburg, like the wiener after Vienna.