cam

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈkam 

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

Noun

The trio worked on the film for three years, as the case made its way through the courts, and includes riveting footage of the driver being interviewed at the scene on police body cam footage. —Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 23 June 2024

The body cam footage shows Emergency Response Team members attending to Ketter. 3 ATLANTA POLICE OFFICERS WOUNDED IN SHOOTING, SUSPECT DEAD The suspect, Gounaris, was found inside the home with a gunshot wound to his stomach. —Chris Pandolfo, Fox News, 20 June 2024

Visitors can also check out the outdoor osprey cam and maybe even see the bay’s resident osprey couple teaching their chick to fledge the nest. —Laura Randall, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2024

In the body cam footage, taken around 3:30 p.m. local time, the officers poured water into the truck through the small window opening. —Raven Brunner, Peoplemag, 4 June 2024

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

Phrases Containing cam

• body cam
• cam girl
• cam wheel
• dash cam

Kids Definition

cam

1 of 2 noun

ˈkam 

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

cam

2 of 2 noun

: camera sense 2

Etymology

Noun

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

Medical Definition

CAM

abbreviation

1

cell adhesion molecule

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

ˈkam 

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