camel

noun

cam·​el ˈka-məl 

plural camels

1

: any of three large ruminant (see ruminant entry 1) mammals (genus Camelus) that have one or two large humps of stored fat on the back and are used as draft and saddle animals in desert regions especially of Africa and Asia:

a

: the one-humped camel (C. dromedarius) extant only as a domestic or feral animal : dromedary

b

: the 2-humped camels (C. bactrianus and C. ferus) of desert and steppe regions of northwestern China and southwestern Mongolia : bactrian camel

2

: a watertight structure used especially to lift submerged ships

3

: a light yellowish brown

4

a

: camel hair sense 2

"… So we're going to look for more luxury fabrics—cashmere, camel, alpaca and … lambswools."

—Paul Diamond

—usually used before another noun

a genuine camel coat

b

: leather made from the skin of a camel

They all have four-digit price tags and are crafted from luxe leathers like buffalo, calfskin and camel.

—Georgina Safe

—usually used before another noun

camel leather

Illustration of camel

• 1 dromedary
• 2 Bactrian camel

Examples of camel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Efka papers were sold in a green box bearing a distinctive design that featured Egyptian pyramids and camels; Kiehn and his wife had honeymooned in Egypt and fallen in love with the country’s history. —Robert M. Ehrenreich, JSTOR Daily, 24 Sep. 2025

Halfmoon was the start of the standard route, and is named for Halfmoon Pass, a 970-foot camel’s hump of rock that must be ascended and descended before tackling the primary North Ridge trail to the summit, then must be ascended and descended again on return to the trailhead. —Ted Katauskas, Outside, 23 Sep. 2025

Beckham said his favorite pieces from this collection include a double-breasted cashmere jacket in camel, a corduroy suit, the boots and sneakers. —Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 22 Sep. 2025

The earthy dark camel shade grounds a classic jeans-and-tee combo, while dark navy makes an all-denim outfit look cohesive. —Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 21 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English & Anglo-French, from Latin camelus, from Greek kamēlos, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew gāmāl camel

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing camel

• Bactrian camel
• camel hair
• camel's hair
• the straw that breaks/broke the camel's back

Rhymes for camel

• hamel
• hamil
• mammal
• trammel
• enamel
• glutamyl

Kids Definition

camel

noun

cam·​el ˈkam-əl 

: either of two large cud-chewing mammals used for carrying burdens and for riding in desert regions especially of Africa and Asia:

a

: dromedary

b

: a two-humped camel of central Asia

called also Bactrian camel