Camel

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkæml̩/

Definitions

1. A large hump-backed mammal native to desert regions, capable of surviving long periods without water and commonly used as a beast of burden in arid climates
2. A desert-dwelling mammal known for its distinctive hump, it has adaptations for water conservation and serves as a reliable pack animal in arid environments
3. This animal, characterized by its prominent hump and ability to thrive in harsh, dry climates, is often employed for transporting goods across challenging terrains
4. A large, even-toed ungulate found primarily in desert environments, known for its ability to tolerate heat and sustain itself without water for extended durations while often serving as a means of transportation
5. This mammal, characterized by one or two prominent humps, thrives in harsh, arid landscapes and has long been utilized for carrying loads and as a source of transport

Etymology: The animal's name travelled a long way before reaching English. The Proto-West Semitic root *gamal- gave Arabic "jamal" and Hebrew "gamál", and the Greeks borrowed it as "kámēlos", which passed into Latin as "camēlus". Old French then reshaped it into "chamel", and the word arrived in Middle English as "camel" by way of Old English and Old Northern French. The word has a second, unexpected career at sea. Sailors use "camel" for a wooden or cork-filled float fitted to a ship's side to keep it from being crushed or to lift it, and this sense came into English from Dutch. The Dutch word "kameel" was itself a borrowing from the Latin form, and the nautical sense shows how a desert animal name could end up describing a piece of ship's equipment.

Synonyms: dromedary, camelopard