camouflage

American  

[kam-uh-flahzh] / ˈkæm əˌflɑʒ /

noun

1. the act, means, or result of obscuring things to deceive an enemy, as by painting or screening objects so that they are lost to view in the background, or by making up objects that from a distance have the appearance of fortifications, guns, roads, etc..

   Was camouflage used extensively on fighter aircraft during World War I?

2. concealment by some means that alters or obscures the appearance.

   Drab plumage provides the bird with camouflage against predators.

3. a device or stratagem used for concealment.

   His loud laughter is really camouflage for his basic shyness.

   Synonyms:

   cover, front, blind, mask

4. clothing made of fabric with a mottled design, usually in shades of green and brown, as that used in military camouflage.

   The street vendors are all selling camouflage this week: pants, jackets, T-shirts, even underwear!

---

adjective

1. (of fabric or clothing) made with or having a mottled design, as that used in military camouflage.

   a camouflage T-shirt.

verb (used with object)

camouflaged, camouflaging

1. to disguise by means of camouflage.

   to camouflage ships by painting them gray.

   Synonyms:

   dissimulate, trick, deceive, mask, conceal, hide, dissemble

verb (used without object)

camouflaged, camouflaging

1. to use camouflage.

   The angel shark camouflages in the sand.

camouflage British  

/ ˈkæməˌflɑːʒ /

noun

1. the exploitation of natural surroundings or artificial aids to conceal or disguise the presence of military units, equipment, etc

2. (modifier) (of fabric or clothing) having a design of irregular patches of dull colours (such as browns and greens), as used in military camouflage

3. the means by which animals escape the notice of predators, usually because of a resemblance to their surroundings: includes cryptic and apatetic coloration

4. a device or expedient designed to conceal or deceive

---

verb

1. (tr) to conceal by camouflage

camouflage Scientific  

/ kăm′ə-fläzh′ /

1. Protective coloring or another feature that conceals an animal and enables it to blend into its surroundings.

2. Compare warning coloration

---

Other Word Forms

• camouflageable adjective
• camouflager noun
• camouflagic adjective
• uncamouflaged adjective
• well-camouflaged adjective

Etymology

Origin of camouflage

First recorded in 1915–20; from French, equivalent to camoufl(er) “to disguise” (probably a verbal derivative of camouflet ) + -age noun suffix; camouflet, -age

Example Sentences

Sim allegedly used his network to camouflage his country’s involvement, routing the payments through a law firm in Zimbabwe for the $300,000 deal.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some witnesses reportedly told officers he may have been wearing a camouflage grey mask.

From BBC

Soldiers navigating Hawaiian terrain took great pains to blend into it, shrinking command posts to a handful of trucks, draping vehicles with camouflage nets and vegetation, and painting their faces with thick stripes of green.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some of the most secret operatives weren’t professional spies or commandos in camouflage.

From The Wall Street Journal

On Wednesday, the White House released dramatic video footage of the raid that showed camouflaged soldiers dropping down on to the Skipper from a helicopter, and walking its deck, weapons drawn.

From BBC

Related Words

• cloak
• conceal
• cover
• disguise
• hide
• mask
• obscure