cam

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈkam 

1

: a rotating or sliding piece (such as an eccentric wheel or a cylinder with an irregular shape) in a mechanical linkage used especially in transforming rotary motion into linear motion or vice versa

2

: camshaft

an engine with a single overhead cam

cam

2 of 3

noun (2)

: camera

especially : video camera

CAM

3 of 3

abbreviation

1

computer-aided manufacturing

2

complementary and alternative medicine

Examples of cam in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the body cam footage, taken around 3:30 p.m. local time, the officers poured water into the truck through the small window opening. —Raven Brunner, Peoplemag, 4 June 2024

Zoo officials did not respond to questions about the panda cam. —Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2024

Brass knuckles, body cams and bad behavior: LAPD probe links troubled Valley gang units. —Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2024

These tiny cam are super easy to install and record 1080p video for long periods of time. —Gabriela Vatu, PCMAG, 10 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

perhaps from French came, from German Kamm, literally, comb, from Old High German kamb

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1969, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cam

• body cam
• cam girl
• cam wheel
• dash cam

Kids Definition

cam

1 of 2 noun

ˈkam 

: a device by which circular motion may be transformed into stop-and-start or back-and-forth motion

cam

2 of 2 noun

: camera sense 2

Etymology

Noun

perhaps from French came "cam," from German Kamm, literally, "comb"

Medical Definition

CAM

abbreviation

1

cell adhesion molecule

2

complementary and alternative medicine

According to a 2002 survey by the National Center for Health Statistics, 36 percent of adults in the United States used some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including naturopathy, relaxation techniques, chiropractic, yoga, massage, and diets.

—In-Sung Yoo, The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware)

Geographical Definition

Cam

geographical name

ˈkam 

river 40 miles (64 kilometers) long in Cambridgeshire, east central England, flowing into the Ouse River