camera

noun

cam·​era ˈkam-rə 

ˈka-mə-rə

1

a

: a device that consists of a lightproof chamber with an aperture fitted with a lens and a shutter through which the image of an object is projected onto a surface for recording (as on a photosensitive film or an electronic sensor) or for translation into electrical impulses (as for television broadcast)

b

: camera obscura

2

: the treasury department of the papal curia

Phrases

off camera

1

: while not being filmed by a television or movie camera

he's a different person off camera

2

: outside the scope of a television or movie camera

sounds of gunfire taking place off camera

on camera

1

: before a live television camera

go on camera

also : while being filmed by a television or movie camera

looked relaxed on camera

2

: within the scope of a television or movie camera

you can hear a dog but he never appears on camera

Examples of camera in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Eighty-one-year-old Joe Biden was serenaded on camera by the delightfully cringe TikTok singer Harry Daniels. —Makena Kelly, WIRED, 27 Dec. 2024

Talent deals, both in front of and behind the camera, will be crucial. —Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 27 Dec. 2024

Gi-hun relays some other hacks, including to hide behind others/out of view of the doll’s camera lenses, and as a result, a significant amount of players survive. —Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 26 Dec. 2024

For this new robotaxi, Waymo was able to reduce the number of cameras on board from 29 to 13 and lower the number of costly lidar sensors on board from five to four. —Lora Kolodny,jennifer Elias, CNBC, 26 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, room — more at chamber

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing camera

• body camera
• box camera
• camera lucida
• camera obscura
• camera person
• camera work
• candid camera
• catch (something) on camera
• dashboard camera
• digital camera
• doorbell camera
• gamma camera
• in camera
• Schmidt camera
• security camera
• streak camera
• video camera

Kids Definition

camera

noun

cam·​era ˈkam-(ə-)rə 

1

: a judge's private office

hearings held in camera

2

: a lightproof box fitted with a lens through which the image of an object is projected onto a surface that is sensitive to light for recording (as on film) or for converting into electrical signals (as for a live television broadcast)

Etymology

from Latin camera "room, chamber"; sense 2 from the scientific Latin phrase camera obscura, literally, "dark chamber" — related to chamber