cam

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: a rotating or sliding piece (such as an eccentric wheel or a cylinder with an irregular shape) in a mechanical linkage used especially in transforming rotary motion into linear motion or vice versa
2
: camshaft
an engine with a single overhead cam

cam

2 of 3

noun (2)

: camera
especially : video camera

CAM

3 of 3

abbreviation

1
computer-aided manufacturing
2
complementary and alternative medicine

Examples of cam in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The 2025 Taos is a small SUV with a 1.5 liter dual over head cam (DOHC) 16 valve turbocharged 4 cylinder gas engine that produces 174 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, bolted to an 8 speed automatic transmission, driving the front wheels in FWD and has a base price of only $24,995. Tony Leopardo, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2025 Anyone who lives or works in the area and has surveillance footage or dash cam video from anytime on March 3 are asked to check it for signs of Yust. Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2025 The daily lives of the eagles are broadcast by the East Tennessee State University Johnson City eagle cam on YouTube, where fans can tune in 24 hours a day to watch the two eagles, and now, their new chick, called JC25. Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 6 Mar. 2025 This year, Jackie welcomed the first of three eggs on Jan. 22, and laid two more within the next few days, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley, a conservation organization that operates a live cam of the nest. Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cam

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

perhaps from French came, from German Kamm, literally, comb, from Old High German kamb

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1969, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cam was in 1777

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cam. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

cam

1 of 2 noun
: a device by which circular motion may be transformed into stop-and-start or back-and-forth motion

cam

2 of 2 noun
Etymology

Noun

perhaps from French came "cam," from German Kamm, literally, "comb"

Medical Definition

CAM

abbreviation
1
2
complementary and alternative medicine
According to a 2002 survey by the National Center for Health Statistics, 36 percent of adults in the United States used some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including naturopathy, relaxation techniques, chiropractic, yoga, massage, and diets.In-Sung Yoo, The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware)

Geographical Definition

Cam

geographical name

river 40 miles (64 kilometers) long in Cambridgeshire, east central England, flowing into the Ouse River

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