Camouflagers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals or species that possess the ability to blend into their surroundings to avoid detection
2. Creatures or objects employing coloration or patterns that enhance concealment in their environment
3. Agents that utilize adaptive features to mask their presence from predators or observers

Etymology: "Camouflagers" is the plural of "camouflager," a noun formed by adding the agent suffix "-er" to "camouflage," so it means those who camouflage. The base word came into English from French "camouflage," which comes from the verb "camoufler," meaning to disguise or conceal. That French verb is generally linked to Italian dialect "camuffare," meaning to disguise or deceive, though the exact route is uncertain. The "-er" ending is what makes the word an agent noun, a label for whatever performs the action. Applied to animals, the term describes organisms whose coloration, texture, or shape conceals them, so the word extends a human term about disguising troops or equipment to creatures that have evolved the same effect.

Synonyms: disguisers, concealers, obscurers