Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Camel?

\Cam"el\, n. [Oe. camel, chamel, OF. camel, chamel, F. chameau L. camelus, fr. Gr. ?; of Semitic origin; cf. Heb. g[=a]m[=a]l, Ar. jamal. Cf. As. camel, fr. L. camelus.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) A large ruminant used in Asia and Africa for carrying burdens and for riding. The camel is remarkable for its ability to go a long time without drinking. Its hoofs are small, and situated at the extremities of the toes, and the weight of the animal rests on the callous. The dromedary ({Camelus dromedarius}) has one bunch on the back, while the Bactrian camel ({C. Bactrianus}) has two. The llama, alpaca, and vicu[~n]a, of South America, belong to a related genus ({Auchenia}). 2. (Naut.) A water-tight structure (as a large box or boxes) used to assist a vessel in passing over a shoal or bar or in navigating shallow water. By admitting water, the camel or camels may be sunk and attached beneath or at the sides of a vessel, and when the water is pumped out the vessel is lifted. {Camel bird} (Zo["o]l.), the ostrich. {Camel locust} (Zo["o]l.), the mantis. {Camel's thorn} (Bot.), a low, leguminous shrub ({Alhagi maurorum}) of the Arabian desert, from which exudes a sweetish gum, which is one of the substances called manna.