Camelot

American  

[kam-uh-lot] / ˈkæm əˌlɒt /

noun

1. the legendary site of King Arthur's palace and court, possibly near Exeter, England.

2. any idyllic place or period, especially one of great happiness.

3. the glamorous ambience of Washington, D.C., during the administration of President John F. Kennedy, 1961–63.

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Camelot British  

/ ˈkæmɪˌlɒt /

noun

1. (in Arthurian legend) the English town where King Arthur's palace and court were situated

2. (in the US) the supposedly golden age of the presidency of John F. Kennedy, 1961–63

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Camelot Cultural  

1. In the legends of King Arthur (see also Arthur), the capital of his kingdom; truth, goodness, and beauty reigned in Camelot.

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Discover More

The administration of President John F. Kennedy is often idealized as an American Camelot.

Other Word Forms

• Camelotian adjective

Example Sentences

He seems intent on erasing the aesthetic symbolism and history of Camelot altogether.

From Salon • Jan. 4, 2026

Although watch collectors obsess over celebrity ownership, and a Camelot connection counts for a lot, the prospect of a payday was only part of the allure for Anderson.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 27, 2025

James Archer Abbott, a longtime curator and the author of Designing Camelot: The Kennedy White House Restoration and its Legacy, said it was important to distinguish the president’s objectives from his style.

From Slate • Aug. 5, 2025

Monday in an unincorporated mountainous area of Perris, prompting evacuation orders and warnings in the nearby communities of Camelot Hills and Good Hope.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2025

On the battlements of their castle at Camelot, during an interval of peace between the two Gaelic Wars, the young king of England was standing with his tutor, looking across the purple wastes of evening.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White