camel

American  

[kam-uhl] / ˈkæm əl /

noun

camels plural

1. either of two large, humped, ruminant quadrupeds of the genus Camelus, of the Old World.

2. a color ranging from yellowish tan to yellowish brown.

3. Also called camel spin.  Skating. a spin done in an arabesque position.

4. Nautical.

   1. Also called pontoon.  a float for lifting a deeply laden vessel sufficiently to allow it to cross an area of shallow water.

   2. a float serving as a fender between a vessel and a pier or the like.

   3. caisson.

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camel British  

/ ˈkæməl /

noun

1. either of two cud-chewing artiodactyl mammals of the genus Camelus : family Camelidae. They are adapted for surviving long periods without food or water in desert regions, esp by using humps on the back for storing fat See Arabian camel Bactrian camel

2. a float attached to a vessel to increase its buoyancy See also caisson

3. a raft or float used as a fender between a vessel and a wharf

4. 1. a fawn colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      a camel dress

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camel Idioms  

1. see under last straw.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• camellike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• camels
  plural

Etymology

Origin of camel

before 950; Middle English, Old English < Latin camēlus < Greek kámēlos < Semitic; compare Hebrew gāmāl

Explanation

A camel is a four-legged desert animal that's slightly larger than a horse. Camels are distinctive for the humps on their backs. There are two types of camels: the single-humped or dromedary and the two-humped camel. The first kind lives in the Middle East and parts of Africa, while the second is found in Central Asia. All camels are well-suited to life in the desert, going long periods without water and able to withstand high heat. The word camel comes from the Greek kamelos, and may be related to the Arabic jamala, "to bear."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

camel camels

A study in Algeria, external, published this year, has shown a significant increase in camel deaths during summer heatwaves.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Without management, camel populations could double every eight years, South Australia's primary industries department says.

From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026

Among the video’s more surreal moments are depictions of Trump riding a camel through the desert, traveling through India on a motorcycle, appearing as an anime-style warrior and sharing tacos with world leaders.

From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026

It rumbles and undulates across the floor, like a lonely camel enduring across a windswept desert.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

Samir took a few halfhearted steps in chase, but the camel surprised everyone with its sudden vigor.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

This is why many herders in Ethiopia have moved their camels from the northern region, where the animals were found historically, to the south where water and vegetation are relatively available, experts there say.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

"I can see my camels suffering from extreme heat," Ali Umer, a camel herder from Semera in Afar, told the BBC.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Today there are more than 800–roughly the population of Tapanuli orangutans or wild Bactrian camels, but it’s too late to change metaphors.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

For the next 49,000 years, the sticky pits captured virtually everything that fell or walked onto them, from grains of pollen borne by the wind to hapless ancient camels and Columbian mammoths.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2026

Only two of the camels were left alive.

From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks

Related Words

• cream
• khaki
• off-white
• tan
• taupe