: any of three large ruminant (see ruminantentry 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
"… 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
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Back at the center of the grounds, over a hundred people have lined up astride their camels for the official welcoming ceremony, and the parade of camels.—Matt Dutile, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2025 The second photos of actors Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Anthony Kelley hit Instagram in early June, many fans declared the wardrobe department got everything wrong, from the style of Bessette's camel coat and the size of her Birkin, to the overall look the blonde wig.—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 June 2025 Her camel coat appeared waxy and poorly tailored — something, commenters pointed out, went against everything the fashion titan stood for.—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 18 June 2025 The plush, suede-like fabric gave the look a sculptural softness, while the hemline fell just above the ankle, drawing attention to her camel stilettos.—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 7 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for camel
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
Time Traveler
The first known use of camel was
before the 12th century
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