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

Gory Guerrero, the legendary father of Eddie, invented the camel clutch move. —Fernando Quiles Jr, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025

On a stretch of desert within view of a camel racetrack and protected land for ancient dunes — where fighter jets from the Al Dhafra Air Base occasionally zip by overhead — Abu Dhabi renewable energy firm Masdar has begun construction on the world’s largest solar-and-battery power project. —Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025

One of those decisions, which Quimby and Reber characterize as the straw that broke the camel’s back in catalyzing the unionization push, was the removal of a key perk of their employment — a free drink from the bar at the end of the night. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2025

The jagged summit of Crestone Peak, Colorado’s seventh-highest mountain, looks like a camel’s back, with two rocky pinnacles jutting skyward from the Sangre de Cristo range. —Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 17 Oct. 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