: 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
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Not only are camels strolling along the shore, but flamingos are also wading in the shallows right next to them.—Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025 The camel faux leather fabric adds an industrial element that pairs with a variety of eclectic decor styles.—Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Mar. 2025 The camera briefly pans away to showcase another camel happily munching on the snacks when suddenly Slaton begins screaming, and a quick pan reveals that another camel is chomping on her upper arm.—EW.com, 25 Mar. 2025 This is followed by a 4x4 trip into the desert, with the last leg on the backs of camels to a luxury camp.—Larry Olmsted, Forbes, 25 Mar. 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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