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

see also off camera, on camera

Examples of camera in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The pictures also show Madonna playing a drum while her children partied in the background, Stella and Estere giving the camera a moody look, Madonna and Akeem with their arms around each other, the three sisters striking a pose in a hallway and a family photo with Madonna and her five kids. —Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026

Lawrence Garrett had a camera with telephoto lens ready to capture the record-breaking moment. —Arkansas Online, 5 Jan. 2026

The moments a Simi Valley trading card store was targeted by smash-and-grab burglars were caught on camera early Sunday morning. —Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026

EVs rely on processors to manage battery health, charging behavior, and energy efficiency, while advanced driver assistance systems must continuously process data from cameras, sensors, and other inputs. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Jan. 2026

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