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
: camera
especially
: video camera
1
computer-aided manufacturing
2
complementary and alternative medicine
Examples of cam in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
The family became social media stars thanks to live eagle cams monitored by the Friends of Big Bear Valley, and their story continued through the eaglets' first flights last fall.
—Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Composed of police body-cam footage, this documentary recounts the escalating dispute between neighbors that resulted in the killing of Ajike Owens in Florida.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2026
The creep-fest about filmmakers venturing into a Maryland forest to document a local legend freaked out a generation of horror fans with its shaky-cam antics and constant sense of dread.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cam
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Federal agencies seem unsure what, if any, investigation is occurring, according to The Washington Post, although White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said today that DHS and CBP are investigating the Pretti shooting, including reviewing body-cam footage.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
The family became social media stars thanks to live eagle cams monitored by the Friends of Big Bear Valley, and their story continued through the eaglets' first flights last fall.
—Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Composed of police body-cam footage, this documentary recounts the escalating dispute between neighbors that resulted in the killing of Ajike Owens in Florida.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2026
The creep-fest about filmmakers venturing into a Maryland forest to document a local legend freaked out a generation of horror fans with its shaky-cam antics and constant sense of dread.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cam
Cite this Entry
“Cam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cam. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cam
1 of 2 noun
: a device by which circular motion may be transformed into stop-and-start or back-and-forth motion
cam
2 of 2 nounEtymology
Noun
perhaps from French came "cam," from German Kamm, literally, "comb"
Medical Definition
CAM
abbreviation2
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)
In-Sung Yoo, The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware)Geographical Definition
Cam
geographical name
river 40 miles (64 kilometers) long in Cambridgeshire, east central England, flowing into the Ouse River
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
