What does "camber" mean?
A slight convexity, arching or curvature of a surface of a road, beam, roof, ship's deck etc., so that liquids will flow off the sides.
Camber
/ˈkæm.bɚ/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A slight convexity, arching or curvature of a surface of a road, beam, roof, ship's deck etc., so that liquids will flow off the sides.
- Grammar: camber is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: aerodynamic curvature, airfoil geometry, amplitude, apse.
- Useful contrasts: even, flat, flat profile.
- Usage evidence: From end to end, just behind the houses, ran the broad gravel walk, with its emphatic camber and its metal-edged gutters where a child's ball would come to rest and the first few plane leaves, dusty but still green, were already falling, since the summer had been so hot and rainless all through.
How to use "camber"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "camber" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "camber" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "camber" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "camber" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "camber" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "aerodynamic curvature" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "camber", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A slight convexity, arching or curvature of a surface of a road, beam, roof, ship's deck etc., so that liquids will flow off the sides. uncountable
"From end to end, just behind the houses, ran the broad gravel walk, with its emphatic camber and its metal-edged gutters where a child's ball would come to rest and the first few plane leaves, dusty but still green, were already falling, since the summer had been so hot and rainless all through."
- 2 the alignment of the wheels of a motor vehicle closer together at the bottom than at the top wordnet
- 3 The slope of a curved road created to minimize the effect of centrifugal force. uncountable
"Again we were stricken of our palsy, slowed down, re-accelerated, and there, at last, were the few huts of a hamlet, with the lorry, lying at an angle in the road's camber, outside a tea-shop."
- 4 a slope in the turn of a road or track; the outside is higher than the inside in order to reduce the effects of centrifugal force wordnet
- 5 An upward concavity in the underside of a beam, girder, or lintel; also, a slight upward concavity in a straight arch. uncountable
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 a slight convexity (as of the surface of a road) wordnet
- 7 The alignment on the roll axis of the wheels of a road vehicle, where positive camber signifies that the wheels are closer together at the bottom than the top. uncountable
- 8 The curvature of an airfoil. uncountable
- 9 A small enclosed dock in which timber for masts (etc.) is kept to weather. uncountable
Verb
- 1 To curve upwards in the middle.
- 2 curve upward in the middle wordnet
- 3 To adjust the camber of the wheels of a vehicle.
"Because he cambered the tires too much, he had less control on the turns."
Proper Noun
- 1 A coastal village and civil parish in Rother district, East Sussex, England (OS grid ref TQ9618).
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"From end to end, just behind the houses, ran the broad gravel walk, with its emphatic camber and its metal-edged gutters where a child's ball would come to rest and the first few plane leaves, dusty but still green, were already falling, since the summer had been so hot and rainless all through."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "camber"?
Common synonyms include: aerodynamic curvature, airfoil geometry, amplitude, apse, arcade, arcature.
How do you use "camber" in a sentence?
From end to end, just behind the houses, ran the broad gravel walk, with its emphatic camber and its metal-edged gutters where a child's ball would come to rest and the first few plane leaves, dusty but still green, were already falling, since the summer had been so hot and rainless all through.
How do you pronounce "camber"?
Pronounced /ˈkæm.bɚ/.
Etymology
From Old French cambre (“bent”), from Latin camurum, from camur (“arched”).