1
a
: a device that consists of a lightproof chamber with an aperture fitted with a lens and a shutter through which the image of an object is projected onto a surface for recording (as on a photosensitive film or an electronic sensor) or for translation into electrical impulses (as for television broadcast)
b
2
: the treasury department of the papal curia
see also off camera, on camera
Examples of camera in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In other cases, extremists have been convicted of manipulating children into cutting themselves or even killing pets on camera, records show.
—
Curt Devine, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
Designed for sports, workouts, and outdoor activities, including extreme situations like chasing a departing plane, the glasses feature a smart camera, immersive audio, and built-in Meta AI for everyday performance.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
There were cameras in every room, recording audio and video.
—Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
For most of the show, Bad Bunny had been mugging merrily to the camera, flaring his eyes and making hammy gestures to illustrate his words.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for camera
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Curt Devine, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
Designed for sports, workouts, and outdoor activities, including extreme situations like chasing a departing plane, the glasses feature a smart camera, immersive audio, and built-in Meta AI for everyday performance.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
There were cameras in every room, recording audio and video.
—Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
For most of the show, Bad Bunny had been mugging merrily to the camera, flaring his eyes and making hammy gestures to illustrate his words.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for camera
Cite this Entry
“Camera.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/camera. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
camera
noun
cam·era
ˈkam-(ə-)rə 
1
: a judge's private office
hearings held in camera
2
: a lightproof box fitted with a lens through which the image of an object is projected onto a surface that is sensitive to light for recording (as on film) or for converting into electrical signals (as for a live television broadcast)
Etymology
from Latin camera "room, chamber"; sense 2 from the scientific Latin phrase camera obscura, literally, "dark chamber" — related to chamber
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