Main Entry: cam·el

Pronunciation: \ˈka-məl\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English & Anglo-French, from Latin camelus, from Greek kamēlos, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew gāmāl camel

Date: before 12th century

1 : either of two large ruminant mammals (genus Camelus) used as draft and saddle animals in desert regions especially of Africa and Asia: a : the one-humped camel (C. dromedarius) extant only as a domestic or feral animal —called also dromedary b : the 2-humped camel (C. bactrianus syn. C. ferus) of Chinese Turkestan and Mongolia —called also Bactrian camel
2 : a watertight structure used especially to lift submerged ships
3 : a light yellowish brown

[camel illustration]