Camel

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: cam=el

CIDE DICTIONARY

Camel, n. [Oe. camel, chamel, OF. camel, chamel, F. chameau L. camelus, fr. Gr. ka`mhlos; of Semitic origin; cf. Heb. gāmāl, Ar. jamal. Cf. As. camel, fr. L. camelus.].

•  A large ruminant used in Asia and Africa for carrying burdens and for riding. The camel is remarkable for its ability to go a long time without drinking. Its hoofs are small, and situated at the extremities of the toes, and the weight of the animal rests on the callous. The dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) has one bunch on the back, while the Bactrian camel (Camelus Bactrianus) has two. The llama, alpaca, and vicuña, of South America, belong to a related genus (Auchenia).  [1913 Webster]
•  A water-tight structure (as a large box or boxes) used to assist a vessel in passing over a shoal or bar or in navigating shallow water. By admitting water, the camel or camels may be sunk and attached beneath or at the sides of a vessel, and when the water is pumped out the vessel is lifted.  [1913 Webster]

Camel bird (Zoöl.), the ostrich. -- Camel locust (Zoöl.), the mantis. -- Camel's thorn (Bot.), a low, leguminous shrub (Alhagi maurorum) of the Arabian desert, from which exudes a sweetish gum, which is one of the substances called manna.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Camel, n.
1 either of two kinds of large cud-chewing mammals having slender cushion-footed legs and one hump (Arabian camel, Camelus dromedarius) or two humps (Bactrian camel, Camelus bactrianus).
2 a fawn colour.
3 an apparatus for providing additional buoyancy to ships etc.

Idiom

camel (or camel's) -hair
1 the hair of a camel.
2 a a fine soft hair used in artists' brushes. b a fabric made of this.

Etymology

OE f. L camelus f. Gk kamelos, of Semitic orig.

DEVIL DICTIONARY

Camel

n. A quadruped (the _Splaypes humpidorsus_) of great value to the show business. There are two kinds of camels -- the camel proper and the camel improper. It is the latter that is always exhibited.

THESAURUS

Camel

Cape elk, Siberian husky, Virginia deer, antelope, ass, beast of burden, buck, camelopard, caribou, deer, deerlet, doe, draft animal, dromedary, eland, elephant, elk, fallow deer, fawn, gazelle, giraffe, gnu, hart, hartebeest, hind, horse, husky, kaama, llama, malamute, moose, mule, mule deer, musk deer, okapi, ox, pack horse, red deer, reindeer, roe, roe deer, roebuck, sledge dog, springbok, stag, sumpter, sumpter horse, sumpter mule, wildebeest

ROGET THESAURUS

Camel

Carrier

N carrier, porter, bearer, tranter, conveyer, cargador, express, expressman, stevedore, coolie, conductor, locomotive, motor, beast, beast of burden, cattle, horse, nag, palfrey, Arab, blood horse, thoroughbred, galloway, charger, courser, racer, hunter, jument, pony, filly, colt, foal, barb, roan, jade, hack, bidet, pad, cob, tit, punch, roadster, goer, racehorse, pack horse, draft horse, cart horse, dray horse, post horse, ketch, Shetland pony, shelty, sheltie, garran, garron, jennet, genet, bayard, mare, stallion, gelding, bronco, broncho, cayuse, creature, critter, cow pony, mustang, Narraganset, waler, stud, Pegasus, Bucephalus, Rocinante, ass, donkey, jackass, mule, hinny, sumpter horse, sumpter mule, burro, cuddy, ladino, reindeer, camel, dromedary, llama, elephant, carrier pigeon, pallet, brace, cart, dolley, support, fork lift, carriage, ship, equine, asinine.