camera

noun

cam·​era ˈkam-rə 

ˈka-mə-rə

1

a

: a device that consists of a lightproof chamber with an aperture fitted with a lens and a shutter through which the image of an object is projected onto a surface for recording (as on a photosensitive film or an electronic sensor) or for translation into electrical impulses (as for television broadcast)

b

: camera obscura

2

: the treasury department of the papal curia

Phrases

off camera

1

: while not being filmed by a television or movie camera

he's a different person off camera

2

: outside the scope of a television or movie camera

sounds of gunfire taking place off camera

on camera

1

: before a live television camera

go on camera

also : while being filmed by a television or movie camera

looked relaxed on camera

2

: within the scope of a television or movie camera

you can hear a dog but he never appears on camera

Examples of camera in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The dual camera layout also provides you with a wider view to eliminate blind spots, and intelligent recognition will not only tell you when there's a package, but remind you about it later. —& John Mihaly, PC Magazine, 27 May 2025

Upgrade your home security with the Ring camera doorbell that’s under $60 now, or take the work out of vacuuming with this $120-off robot cleaner that does all the cleaning for you. —Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 26 May 2025

For You's Michael Koman, recruits the camera crew behind the mockumentary chronicling the day-to-day of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company to do it again, this time with a failing Midwestern newspaper called The Truth Teller. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 26 May 2025

Filming our own videos as kids with our parents’ bulky handheld cameras. —Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 25 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, room — more at chamber

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing camera

• body camera
• box camera
• camera lucida
• camera obscura
• camera person
• camera work
• candid camera
• catch (something) on camera
• dashboard camera
• digital camera
• doorbell camera
• gamma camera
• in camera
• Schmidt camera
• security camera
• streak camera
• video camera

Kids Definition

camera

noun

cam·​era ˈkam-(ə-)rə 

1

: a judge's private office

hearings held in camera

2

: a lightproof box fitted with a lens through which the image of an object is projected onto a surface that is sensitive to light for recording (as on film) or for converting into electrical signals (as for a live television broadcast)

Etymology

from Latin camera "room, chamber"; sense 2 from the scientific Latin phrase camera obscura, literally, "dark chamber" — related to chamber