What does "camel" mean?
A mammalian beast of burden, much used in desert areas, of the genus Camelus.
Camel
/ˈkæml̩/ adj, name, noun
adj, name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A mammalian beast of burden, much used in desert areas, of the genus Camelus.
- Grammar: camel is listed as adj, name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: animal, antelope, armadillo, ass.
- Useful contrasts: black, llamas, white.
- Usage evidence: A camel can store a large amount of water in the hump on its back.
How to use "camel"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "camel" 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 "camel" 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 "camel" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "camel" 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 "camel" is acting as adj, name, noun 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 "animal" 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 "camel", 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 mammalian beast of burden, much used in desert areas, of the genus Camelus.
"Returne our Mules and emptie Camels backe, That we may trauell into Siria, […]"
- 2 Synonym of giraffe. South-Africa, obsolete
- 3 A cigarette of a popular American brand.
"Mr. Martin bought the pack of Camels on Monday night in the most crowded cigar store on Broadway."
- 4 cud-chewing mammal used as a draft or saddle animal in desert regions wordnet
- 5 A light brownish color, like that of a camel (also called camel brown).
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 A vessel or tank, typically paired, used to make an object more buoyant.
"Nantucket Island is probably the only place in the United States where camels were put to work to solve the problem created by a sandbar. They were Marine camels, and like their live namesake, they were of a rugged construction and were designed to do very heavy work. In the shape of two large wooden boxes, the camels were flooded with sea water until they sank to a low level in the water; they were then arranged on each side of a heavily-loaded ship and drawn tightly together around the ship by means of heavy chains passing under the ship's hull. As the sea water was pumped out of the camels, they rose up to a higher level, raising the ship between them, and when fully emptied the camels and the ship were towed across the bar easily and safely because of the lesser draft. First used in Holland as early as 1688, the camels were invented by one M. M. Bakker, who named them for their great strength. The Dutch used them to carry large ships over the Pampas, which was a passage between two sandbanks in the Zyder Zee, opposite the mouth of the River Y, and about six miles from the city of Amsterdam. The Russians adopted the idea and used camels for carrying ships over the shoals at Neva..."
- 7 A person of Middle Eastern origin. ethnic, slur
- 8 A fairy chess piece that is moved three squares in one direction and one at right angles to that direction in a single move, leaping over any intervening pieces.
"The fers and camel can reach all the cells of one colour. The others are more restricted; the dummy cannot move at all, and the commuter can only move back and forth between two cells."
Adjective
- 1 Of a light brown color like that of a camel. not-comparable
"[…] try to select accessories that are in the same color family as your coat," says millinery designer Patricia Underwood. To pick up the weave of a brown tweed jacket, for instance, choose a camel hat and black gloves."
Proper Noun
- 1 A river in Cornwall, England, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Padstow.
Example
"A camel can store a large amount of water in the hump on its back."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "camel"?
Common synonyms include: animal, antelope, armadillo, ass, bactrian-related, bat.
How do you use "camel" in a sentence?
A camel can store a large amount of water in the hump on its back.
How do you pronounce "camel"?
Pronounced /ˈkæml̩/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English camel, through Old English camel and Old Northern French camel (Old French chamel, modern French chameau), from Latin camēlus, from Ancient Greek κάμηλος (kámēlos), from a Semitic source, ultimately from Proto-Semitic *gamal-; compare Arabic جَمَل (jamal), Hebrew גמל (gamál), Aramaic ܓܡܠܐ (gamlā), Coptic ϭⲁⲙⲟⲩⲗ (camoul). As a marine device, from Dutch. As an ethnic slur, short for camelfucker, camel jockey, etc.
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Afrikaans kameel.
Etymology 3
From a Cornish word meaning "crooked" - the crooked river.
Etymology 4
From the Turkish tobacco used in the cigarette, similar to Egyptian cigarettes of the time.