camel

noun cam·el \ ˈka-məl \

|Updated on: 5 Aug 2018

Definition of camel

1 : either of two large ruminant mammals (genus Camelus) 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 camel (C. bactrianus synonym 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

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Recent Examples of camel from the Web

That day Umm Said’s chefs were preparing a whole baby camel for a family reunion party.

— anissa helou, Bon Appetit, "The Camel Trek: In Search of an Unexpected Delicacy," 4 May 2018
Protesters arriving at one encampment, in Khan Younis, trod on or rode motorcycles and even a camel over an elongated Israeli flag, with its Star of David, before heading toward the fence separating Gaza from Israel.

— david m. halbfinger, BostonGlobe.com, "One killed as violence erupts anew at Israel-Gaza border," 13 Apr. 2018
Pair it with a blush blazer to soften up the look and finish with a khaki/camel colored pant for contrast.

— NBC News, "Work looks for millennial women this spring," 6 Apr. 2018
Some may be taken aback at the more overtly comic moments, as when the soldiers in the middle of nowhere raise the checkpoint gate and, after a three-second pause, let a stray camel wander through.

— michael phillips, chicagotribune.com, "'Foxtrot' review: An Israeli war dance, uniquely unsettling," 22 Mar. 2018
Rossi ate three cooked scorpions and a bullfrog in one challenge, and Daly milked a camel.

— david lindquist, Indianapolis Star, "‘Amazing Race’ finale: What you need to know," 21 Feb. 2018
This time next week, Rose Sandler will be riding a camel across the Gobi Desert in Outer Mongolia in temperatures as low as -40 degrees.

— pam kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Mongolian camel trek next on Poway adventurer's list," 13 Jan. 2018
She was born on a Sunday, but every day is hump day for Zehra, a rare baby camel that became the most recent addition to the Toledo Zoo in Ohio.

— thomas leavy, CBS News, "The Toledo Zoo's newest resident is an adorable baby camel," 22 June 2018
Who can forget commentator Bobby The Brain Heenan dressed in toga while entering the venue backward on a camel.

— jim varsallone, miamiherald, "Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney hold special meanings to WWE NXT double champ Adam Cole," 1 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'camel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.