Cam

Pronunciation

• IPA: kæm
• Rhymes: -æm

Recorded since the 16th century, from Dutch kam ("cog of a wheel; originally, comb") (cognate with English comb, and preserved in modern Dutch compounds such as kamrad, kamwiel ("cog wheel"))

Full definition of cam

Noun

1. A turning or sliding piece which imparts motion to a rod, lever or block brought into sliding or rolling contact with it.
2. A curved wedge, movable about an axis, used for forcing or clamping two pieces together.
3. (UK, dialect) A ridge or mound of earth.
4. (rock climbing) A camming device, a spring-loaded device for effecting a temporary belay in a rock crevice.

Derived terms

• overhead cam

From camera, from the first part of Latin camera obscura ("dark chamber"), itself from Ancient Greek καμάρα (kamara, "vaulted chamber"), from Proto-Indo-European *kam- ("to arch")

Noun

1. (informal) camera

Derived terms

• camcorder
• camgirl
• cammer
• camwhore
• dashcam
• nanny cam
• Steadicam
• webcam
• webcammer

Verb

1. To go on webcam with someone

Adverb

1. Alternative form of kam

Anagrams

• AMC, CMA, mac, Mac, Mac., MAC, mca