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
Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 19 Jan. 2026
At higher revs, the inlet cams shift sideways, opening the valves higher and longer to supply more fuel to the cylinder, thus maximizing performance.
—New Atlas, 18 Jan. 2026
Stewart said police are asking anyone who witnessed the crash, or who may have dash-cam footage of the road at the time of the incident, to contact the Collision Investigation Unit.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
That’s why there’s a requirement for body cam in the first place.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cam
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Noun
Indiana has The Middle, a scrappy single-cam about a family that always seems to have the sink going out or the above-ground pool turning into a mudhole.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 19 Jan. 2026
At higher revs, the inlet cams shift sideways, opening the valves higher and longer to supply more fuel to the cylinder, thus maximizing performance.
—New Atlas, 18 Jan. 2026
Stewart said police are asking anyone who witnessed the crash, or who may have dash-cam footage of the road at the time of the incident, to contact the Collision Investigation Unit.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
That’s why there’s a requirement for body cam in the first place.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 13 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 21 Jan. 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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