camel
UK /ˈkæml̩/ · US /ˈkæm(ə)l/ noun, adjective, proper noun
Forms camels
- noun A mammalian beast of burden, much used in desert areas, of the genus Camelus.
- noun A light brownish color, like that of a camel (also called camel brown).
- noun (typically in the plural) A vessel or tank, typically paired, used to make an object more buoyant.
- noun (ethnic slur) A person of Middle Eastern origin.
- noun (chess) 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.
- adjective Of a light brown color like that of a camel.
- noun (South Africa, obsolete) Synonym of giraffe.
- proper noun A river in Cornwall, England, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Padstow.
- noun A cigarette of a popular American brand.
Synonyms
Etymology
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 (čamoul). As a marine device, from Dutch. As an ethnic slur, short for camelfucker, camel jockey, etc.
Borrowed from Afrikaans kameel.
From a Cornish word meaning "crooked" - the crooked river.
From the Turkish tobacco used in the cigarette, similar to Egyptian cigarettes of the time.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A large ruminant used in Asia and Africa for carrying burdens and for riding. The camel is remarkable for its ability to go a long time without drinking. Its hoofs are small, and situated at the extremities of the toes, and the weight of the animal rests on the callous. The dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) has one bunch on the back, while the Bactrian camel (C. Bactrianus) has two. The llama, alpaca, and vicuña, of South America, belong to a related genus (Auchenia).
- noun A watertight structure (as a large box or boxes) used to assist a vessel in passing over a shoal or bar or in navigating shallow water. By admitting water, the camel or camels may be sunk and attached beneath or at the sides of a vessel, and when the water is pumped out the vessel is lifted. Camel bird (Zoöl.), the ostrich.
Etymology [Oe. camel, chamel, OF. camel, chamel, F. chameau L. camelus, fr. Gr. gamal, Ar. jamal. Cf. As. camel, fr. L. camelus.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “camel”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details