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• camp
  camp

  noun

  a place where an army or other group of persons or an individual is lodged in a tent or tents or other temporary means of shelter.
• Camp
  Camp

  noun

  Walter Chauncey 1859–1925, U.S. football coach and author.
• cAMP
  cAMP

  noun

  cyclic AMP.

camp

¹ American  

[kamp] / kæmp /

noun

1. 

   a place where an army or other group of persons or an individual is lodged in a tent or tents or other temporary means of shelter.

2. such tents or shelters collectively.

   The regiment transported its camp in trucks.

3. the persons so sheltered.

   The camp slept through the storm.

4. the act of camping out.

   Camp is far more pleasant in summer than in winter.

5. any temporary structure, as a tent or cabin, used on an outing or vacation.

6. a group of troops, workers, etc., camping and moving together.

7. army life.

8. a group of people favoring the same ideals, doctrines, etc..

   Most American voters are divided into two camps, Republicans and Democrats.

9. any position in which ideals, doctrines, etc., are strongly entrenched.

   After considering the other side's argument, he changed camps.

10. a recreation area in the country, equipped with extensive facilities for sports.

11. day camp.

12. summer camp.

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verb (used without object)

1. to establish or pitch a camp.

   The army camped in the valley.

2. to live temporarily in or as if in a camp or outdoors, usually for recreation (often followed byout ).

   They camped by the stream for a week.

3. to reside or lodge somewhere temporarily or irregularly, especially in an apartment, room, etc..

   They camped in our apartment whenever they came to town.

4. to settle down securely and comfortably; become ensconced.

   The kids camped on our porch until the rain stopped.

5. to take up a position stubbornly.

   They camped in front of the president's office.

verb (used with object)

1. to put or station (troops) in a camp; shelter.

2. Digital Technology. (in a video game)

   1. to hunt or search for (an enemy or item) by maintaining a position where it is known to spawn.

      There were a couple of us camping a notorious monster for rare dropped items.

   2. to hide or take cover in (a relatively safe play area), often as part of an ambush strategy for attacking other characters.

      Camp a choke point like the bridge, or just hide in the bushes with a sniper rifle and you’ll be the last man standing.

camp ² American  

[kamp] / kæmp /

noun

1. something that provides irreverent or knowing amusement, as by virtue of its being theatrically stylized and extravagantly artificial, self-consciously artless, or ironically ingenuous.

2. a person who adopts a teasing, theatrical manner, especially for the amusement of others.

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verb (used without object)

1. Also camp it up to speak or behave in a coquettishly playful or extravagantly theatrical manner.

adjective

1. campy.

   camp Hollywood musicals of the 1940s.

Camp ³ American  

[kamp] / kæmp /

noun

1. Walter Chauncey 1859–1925, U.S. football coach and author.

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cAMP ⁴ American  

[kamp] / kæmp /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. cyclic AMP.

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camp ¹ British  

/ kæmp /

noun

1. a place where tents, cabins, or other temporary structures are erected for the use of military troops, for training soldiers, etc

2. the military life

3. tents, cabins, etc, used as temporary lodgings by a group of travellers, holiday-makers, Scouts, etc

4. the group of people living in such lodgings

5. a field or paddock fenced off as pasture

6. a group supporting a given doctrine or theory

   the socialist camp

7. a place where sheep or cattle gather to rest

8. (modifier) suitable for use in temporary quarters, on holiday, etc, esp by being portable and easy to set up

   a camp bed

   a camp chair

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verb

1. to establish or set up a camp

2. to live temporarily in or as if in a tent

3. (tr) to put in a camp

camp ² British  

/ kæmp /

adjective

1. effeminate; affected in mannerisms, dress, etc

2. homosexual

3. consciously artificial, exaggerated, vulgar, or mannered; self-parodying, esp when in dubious taste

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verb

1. (tr) to perform or invest with a camp quality

2. 1. to seek to focus attention on oneself by making an ostentatious display, overacting, etc

   2. to flaunt one's homosexuality

noun

1. a camp quality, style, etc

Camp ³ British  

/ kæmp /

noun

1. Walter ( Chauncey ). 1859–1925, US sportsman and administrator; he introduced new rules to American football, which distinguished it from rugby.

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camp Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing camp

• break camp
• foot in both camps
• happy camper

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Other Word Forms

• camping
  noun

Etymology

Origin of camp¹

First recorded in 1520–30; from Middle French can, camp, originally dialect (Normandy, Picardy) or from Old Provençal, from Italian campo, from Latin campus “field, battlefield”; compare Old English campe, compe “battle, battlefield” (cognate with German Kampf “struggle”), from Germanic, from Latin

Origin of camp²

First recorded in 1865–70 as campish; spelling camp dates to 1905–10; of uncertain origin; perhaps from French se camper “to pose, portray oneself”; perhaps dialectal camp “impetuous, uncouth person,” hence, “slightly objectionable, effeminate, gay”; in some senses probably special use of camp ¹ (in the sense “army camp”), where “camp followers,” a euphemism for prostitutes, were notorious for licentiousness

Explanation

When you camp, you set up a temporary place to sleep outdoors, often in a tent. Many people like to camp in a beautiful spot, like the mountains or beside a lake. Use the word camp to describe what you do when you sleep under the stars, and also the site itself — after a day of hiking, you could say, "Let's head back to camp." You can also talk about your usual group of friends or co-workers as your camp. Political parties are described this way sometimes: "She was popular in the Democratic camp." The root is the Latin word campus, which means "open field, or level space."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

camp Camp cAMP

Gia Clark-Grillo, a 40-year-old from New Jersey, never got to attend sleep-away camp as a child, but grew up watching films like “Wet Hot American Summer.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026

“And in a weird way, camp has created that.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026

If you’re in the former camp, you presumably have already chosen a stock-bond allocation based on your age, risk tolerance and other financial-planning considerations.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

The content of the review won't be made public, but the next three weeks will give an indication of whether the camp is still as together as that night at the Azteca.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

Maybe this was hunger brewing inside her and not a realization that all she wanted to do was quit the language camp and go on home.

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

Six years after the devastating Camp fire in 2018, regulated carriers continued to leave Paradise even as the community rebuilt, state data show.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026

He enlisted in the Marine Corps seven days after graduating high school in 1957, and he considers his two years at Camp Pendleton among the most important of his life.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

According to state officials, 85 people lost their lives in the Camp Fire, which also destroyed more than 18,000 structures, including 9,000 homes.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

What's more, the Camp Nou club are absolutely willing to make that happen.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

“Welcome to Camp Eclipse, nature newbies. My name is Turkey Vulture, and I am your Survival Leader. Before we begin today’s activities, let us put on our deer ears!”

From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth

"It was not an all or nothing phenomenon. We observed that cAMP responses across cells varied on a continuum," said co-corresponding author Michael Krashes, Ph.D., a senior investigator at NIDDK.

From Science Daily ● May 25, 2026

Researchers found that some neurons maintained elevated cAMP levels for longer periods while semaglutide was present.

From Science Daily ● May 25, 2026

Interestingly, the team found that in addition to PTH induction, activation of cAMP and PKC also resulted in overexpression of Gprc5a, albeit to a lesser extent, underscoring the potential involvement of other molecular pathways.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 18, 2024

Each molecule of adenylyl cyclase then triggers the formation of many molecules of cAMP.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Further amplification occurs as protein kinases, once activated by cAMP, can catalyze many reactions.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Related Words

• encampment
• tent