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
Which was of course the straw that started the joke that may have scared the camel now trampling Mr. Colbert and his staff.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025
Back in November, the ironic usage of the commercial audio started getting used in the background of trips gone wrong: camels running amok, a Final Destination–esque car ride, a big spider (do not click if even slightly arachnophobic).
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 14 July 2025
The fate of the CPS pension payment is just one more financial straw on the camel’s back as Johnson and aldermen head into the summer doldrums, then straight into the budget.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2025
During his nearly two years with CBP, Freddie has put his skills to good work, sniffing out 4,500 pounds of plant products and 3,800 pounds of meat – including 140 pounds of bushmeat from rats, snakes, camels and crocodiles.
—Adam Hudacek, CBS News, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for camel
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Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025
Back in November, the ironic usage of the commercial audio started getting used in the background of trips gone wrong: camels running amok, a Final Destination–esque car ride, a big spider (do not click if even slightly arachnophobic).
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 14 July 2025
The fate of the CPS pension payment is just one more financial straw on the camel’s back as Johnson and aldermen head into the summer doldrums, then straight into the budget.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2025
During his nearly two years with CBP, Freddie has put his skills to good work, sniffing out 4,500 pounds of plant products and 3,800 pounds of meat – including 140 pounds of bushmeat from rats, snakes, camels and crocodiles.
—Adam Hudacek, CBS News, 9 July 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 2 Aug. 2025.
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