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
Alex Harring, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
The series will follow moments caught on camera of officers and their K9 partners facing calls, told through footage from surveillance cameras, body and dash cams and drones.
—Peter White, Deadline, 4 Mar. 2026
Schumer’s demands for unmasking ICE, requiring body cams and proper ID and judicial warrants before Democrats will vote for DHS funding now look quaint.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
Many schools use the nest cam as an educational tool, introducing kids to Jackie and Shadow.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cam
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Noun
Court cam Elon Musk arrives at federal court on March 4, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
The series will follow moments caught on camera of officers and their K9 partners facing calls, told through footage from surveillance cameras, body and dash cams and drones.
—Peter White, Deadline, 4 Mar. 2026
Schumer’s demands for unmasking ICE, requiring body cams and proper ID and judicial warrants before Democrats will vote for DHS funding now look quaint.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
Many schools use the nest cam as an educational tool, introducing kids to Jackie and Shadow.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 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 13 Mar. 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
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