camouflage

noun cam·ou·flage \ ˈka-mə-ˌfläzh , -ˌfläj \

Updated on: 9 May 2018

Definition of camouflage

1 : the disguising especially of military equipment or installations with paint, nets, or foliage; also : the disguise so applied

2 a : concealment by means of disguise

The rabbit's white fur acts as camouflage in the snow.

b : behavior or artifice designed to deceive or hide

hiding behind a camouflage of righteous indignation

—

camouflagic

play \ˌka-mə-ˈflä-zhik, -jik\ adjective

See camouflage defined for English-language learners

See camouflage defined for kids

Examples of camouflage in a Sentence

The army tanks were painted green and brown for camouflage.
The rabbit's white fur acts as a camouflage in the snow.
Rabbits use their white fur as camouflage in the snow.
Her so-called charity work was a camouflage for her own self-interest.
His tough attitude served as camouflage.

Recent Examples of camouflage from the Web

Plovers like sand spits, Prescott says, because the geography is better for camouflage or escape.

— susan moeller, BostonGlobe.com, "A beachcombing guide: Things to find at the beach," 2 May 2018
Down below, several uniformed Roanoke County police officers, two state troopers in full camouflage gear and a pipeline security official listened from a blue tent.

— gregory s. schneider, The Seattle Times, "Mother, daughter perch in trees to block Virginia pipeline," 22 Apr. 2018
Down below, several uniformed Roanoke County police officers, two state troopers in full camouflage gear and a pipeline security official listened from a blue tent.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Perched on a platform high in a tree, a 61-year-old Virginia woman fights a gas pipeline," 21 Apr. 2018
Down below, several uniformed Roanoke County police officers, two state troopers in full camouflage gear and a pipeline security official listened from a blue tent.

— gregory s. schneider, Washington Post, "Perched on a platform high in a tree, a 61-year-old woman fights a gas pipeline," 21 Apr. 2018
Stonefish not only protect themselves with spikes, camouflage, and venom, but some species even pack switchblades on their faces.

— laura yan, Popular Mechanics, "This Fish Has a Switchblade on Its Face," 14 Apr. 2018
Other troops work the telephones and computers in back offices, as clerks in camouflage.

— adam k. raymond, Daily Intelligencer, "White House Announces Plan to Send National Guard to the Border," 4 Apr. 2018
The sniper is kitted out in a mesh veil for camouflage and appears to be firing from inside a kitchen.

— zachary mider, Bloomberg.com, "Robert Mercer’s Secret Adventure as a New Mexico Cop," 28 Mar. 2018
Every season, farmers and other landowners earn tidy sums turning their fallow fields into fields of fire for a virtual army of sportsmen in camouflage, looking skyward for the water fowl.

— eric adler, kansascity, "True March Madness — nearly 1 million snow geese massing 90 miles north of KC | The Kansas City Star," 16 Mar. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of camouflage

French, from camoufler to disguise

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1916

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

camouflage Synonyms

Synonyms

costume, disguise, guise;

Related Words

domino, mask, veil, visor (also vizor), vizard;

costumery, dress, getup, outfit, rig;

coloring, cosmetic, makeup, paint;

Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

camouflage

verb

Definition of camouflage

camouflaged; camouflaging

transitive verb

: to conceal or disguise by camouflage

The makeup camouflages blemishes.

intransitive verb

: to practice camouflage

—

camouflageable

play \ˈka-mə-ˌflä-zhə-bəl, -jə-bəl\ adjective

See camouflage defined for English-language learners

Examples of camouflage in a Sentence

It was impossible to camouflage the facts.
camouflaged the military camp as a native village

Recent Examples of camouflage from the Web

But his colorful work and a time-skipping device cannot camouflage the conventional storytelling and dialogue.

— hal boedeker, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Meghan Markle leaves 'Suits'; 'Voice,' 'American Idol' voting," 22 Apr. 2018
The Careless Whisper echoes a Sazerac with its rye and absinthe lethality camouflaged by chokecherry liqueur, while the Delicious #7 is the requisite mezcal proffer, its vegetal bite softened by applejack and herbal Benedictine.

— mike sula, Chicago Reader, "Old Habits is bar food reborn," 20 Apr. 2018
The ship's crew would chop down trees and place them aboard the Tirpitz to try to camouflage it and then, as discussed in a new German-American-Norwegian study, released chlorosulphuric acid to create an artificial fog to further mask its location.

— david grossman, Popular Mechanics, "How the Nazis' Largest Battleship Is Still Affecting Norway Today," 11 Apr. 2018
Instead of trying to wrestle the female shape into submission, Ms. Cornejo celebrates it, while employing her draping skills to camouflage imperfections.

— kim france, WSJ, "The One Dress Women of Every Age Should Own," 22 Mar. 2018
About 1,500 members of the new unit conducted a public exercise, camouflaged with khaki stripes, imitating recapturing a Japanese island from an invading army.

— ben westcott, CNN, "Chinese government wary as Japan unveils first marine unit since WWII," 9 Apr. 2018
What’s ironic is that Hazan is also the pioneer of root concealer, essentially temporary color sprays that allow women to camouflage their roots or grays between appointments.

— lauren levinson, Glamour, "Seeing Women in Their 30s With Gray Roots Inspired Me to Leave Mine Alone," 2 Apr. 2018
Moss grows on their fur, which camouflages them in the rain forest.

— clare ansberry, WSJ, "Sloths Hot, Armadillos Not: Zoos Seek Affection for Overlooked Species," 29 Mar. 2018
And that same part of me wonders where the management of a baseball team gets off promoting what may well be camouflaged quackery to its players.

— charles p. pierce, SI.com, "Royals GM Dayton Moore Makes Bizarre and Troubling Choice to Host Anti-Porn Activists," 21 Mar. 2018

Origin and Etymology of camouflage

see ¹camouflage

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1917

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year

camouflage Synonyms

Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

camouflage

adjective

Definition of camouflage

: made in colors or patterns typical of camouflage

a camouflage jacket

Origin and Etymology of camouflage

see ¹camouflage

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1918

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

CAMOUFLAGE Defined for English Language Learners

camouflage

noun

Definition of camouflage for English Language Learners

: a way of hiding something (such as military equipment) by painting it or covering it with leaves or branches to make it harder to see
: the green and brown clothing that soldiers and hunters wear to make them harder to see
: something (such as color or shape) that protects an animal from attack by making the animal difficult to see in the area around it

camouflage

verb

Definition of camouflage for English Language Learners

: to hide (something) by covering it up or making it harder to see

CAMOUFLAGE Defined for Kids

camouflage

noun cam·ou·flage \ ˈka-mə-ˌfläzh , -ˌfläj \

Definition of camouflage for Students

1 : the hiding or disguising of something by covering it up or changing the way it looks

The leopard has spots for camouflage.

2 : something (as color or shape) that protects an animal from attack by making it difficult to see in the area around it

camouflage

verb

Definition of camouflage for Students

camouflaged; camouflaging

: to hide or disguise by covering or making harder to see

Learn More about camouflage

See words that rhyme with camouflage Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for camouflage Spanish Central: Translation of camouflage Nglish: Translation of camouflage for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of camouflage for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about camouflage

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camouflage

Definition of camouflage

camouflagic

Examples of camouflage in a Sentence

Recent Examples of camouflage from the Web

Origin and Etymology of camouflage

camouflage Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Military Terms

camouflage

Definition of camouflage

camouflageable

Examples of camouflage in a Sentence

Recent Examples of camouflage from the Web

Origin and Etymology of camouflage

camouflage Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Other Military Terms

camouflage

Definition of camouflage

Origin and Etymology of camouflage

Other Military Terms

CAMOUFLAGE Defined for English Language Learners

camouflage

Definition of camouflage for English Language Learners

camouflage

Definition of camouflage for English Language Learners

CAMOUFLAGE Defined for Kids

camouflage

Definition of camouflage for Students

camouflage

Definition of camouflage for Students

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