cam

¹

[ kam ]

noun

1. Machinery. a disk or cylinder having an irregular form such that its motion, usually rotary, gives to a part or parts in contact with it a specific rocking or reciprocating motion.
2. Automotive Slang. camshaft.

verb (used with object)

, cammed, cam·ming.

1. to provide (a machine part or mechanism) with a cam or cams.

cam

²

[ kam ]

noun

1. a camera, especially one that records video (often used in combination, as in digital cam traffic cam webcam ):

   She's a professional photographer who uses state-of-the-art cams.

Cam

³

[ kam ]

noun

1. a river in E England flowing NE by Cambridge, into the Ouse River. 40 miles (64 km) long.

CAM

⁴

[ kam ]

noun

1. computer-aided manufacturing.

Cam.

⁵

abbreviation for

1. Cambridge.

cam

¹

/ kæm /

noun

1. a slider or roller attached to a rotating shaft to give a particular type of reciprocating motion to a part in contact with its profile

-cam

²

combining form

1. camera

   webcam

CAM

³

abbreviation for

1. complementary and alternative medicine
2. computer-aided manufacture
3. botany crassulacean acid metabolism: a form of photosynthesis, first described in crassulaceous plants, in which carbon dioxide is taken up only at night
4. Cameroon (international car registration)

Cam

⁴

/ kæm /

noun

1. a river in E England, in Cambridgeshire, flowing through Cambridge to the River Ouse. Length: about 64 km (40 miles)

Word History and Origins

Origin of cam¹

< Dutch or Low German kam, kamm. See comb

Origin of cam²

First recorded in 1975–80; shortening of camera ¹( def )

Origin of cam³

First recorded in 1965–70

Word History and Origins

Origin of cam¹

C18: from Dutch kam comb

Example Sentences

You might have suspected it when you saw Mitch and Cam get married.

From The Daily Beast

The next set of results from the Subaru Hyper-Suprime-Cam will extend the SPLASH survey in important ways.

From The Daily Beast

And that is where a body cam would no doubt have made all the difference.

From The Daily Beast

Same-sex marriage is legalized in California, meaning that Mitch and Cam (Eric Stonestreet) can get married.

From The Daily Beast

A former student named Cam Miller attended the hearing in person and offered the last statement.

From The Daily Beast

Oh, my puir lamb, you're wet to the skin, an' fair done; for God knows its an' awfu' mess you hae cam' hame in.

From Project Gutenberg

Mony's the time I hae ettled to send ye a screed, but there was aye something that cam' i' the gait.

From Project Gutenberg

If a person speaks of Cambridge, one's mind immediately flies to the English university city on the banks of the river Cam.

From Project Gutenberg

Your ain cloak was thin enough when ye cam here, though ye have lined it gay and weel.

From Project Gutenberg

She didnae stand there lang; she began to move again an' cam' slowly towards Mr. Soulis whaur he stood under the saughs.

From Project Gutenberg