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• cam
  cam

  noun

  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.
• Cam
  Cam

  noun

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

  noun

  computer-aided manufacturing.
• Cam.
  Cam.

  abbreviation

  Cambridge.
• -cam
  -cam

  combining form

  camera

cam

¹ American  

[kam] / kæm /

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.

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verb (used with object)

cammed, camming

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

cam ² American  

[kam] / kæm /

noun

1. a camera, especially one that records video (often used in combination, as in ).

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

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Cam ³ American  

[kam] / kæm /

noun

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

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CAM ⁴ American  

[kam] / kæm /

noun

1. computer-aided manufacturing.

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Cam. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. Cambridge.

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CAM ¹ British  

abbreviation

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)

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-cam ² British  

combining form

1. camera

   webcam

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Cam ³ British  

/ kæm /

noun

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

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cam ⁴ British  

/ 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

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Etymology

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 CAM⁴

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Also could use a supporting cast for Cam Ward.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

"I know Cam hits a draw, his moved a little bit," Fitzpatrick said.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

It’s also true that the Patriots spent a few years rattling around with quarterbacks like Cam Newton, Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe before drafting Maye in 2024.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

The 2020 season that Cam Newton played for the Patriots provided “useful” material for designing an offense that took advantage of Maye’s mobility, McDaniels said.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

Even if Cam traced circles on her thigh or if Kiki was in full force, and already Bee had spit out her lemonade twice, laughing.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith