Illustration of camel
- 1 dromedary
- 2 Bactrian camel
plural camels
1
: any of three large ruminant (see ruminant entry 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
3
: a light yellowish brown
4
a
: camel hair sense 2
"… So we're going to look for more luxury fabrics—cashmere, camel, alpaca and … lambswools."—
Paul Diamond
—usually used before another nounPaul Diamonda 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 nounGeorgina Safecamel leather
Examples of camel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At the National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Impact Awards Gala on June 6, Isabella Merced extended her tonal dressing streak, pairing a sculptural Tory Burch gown with sleek camel stilettos.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 7 June 2025
In Karachi, Earhart sent along more light dispatches, including a story about a morning camel ride, which his office polished up for the Herald Tribune.
—Laurie Gwen Shapiro, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
His motorcade in Doha was trailed by a parade of red cybertrucks and camels.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 17 May 2025
There were opulent palaces, fighter jet escorts, a parade of camels and much more.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for camel
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Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 7 June 2025
In Karachi, Earhart sent along more light dispatches, including a story about a morning camel ride, which his office polished up for the Herald Tribune.
—Laurie Gwen Shapiro, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
His motorcade in Doha was trailed by a parade of red cybertrucks and camels.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 17 May 2025
There were opulent palaces, fighter jet escorts, a parade of camels and much more.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for camel
Cite this Entry
“Camel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/camel. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.
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