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
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Noun
Steve is about to be shown his extensive FSB file, the hotel cam footage, bank records, online dating profiles, incriminating private messenger convos. Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025 Haire’s body cam video shows the 25-year-old man tried to shake the horse by running directly into traffic, nearly getting hit at one point. Mark Price, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2025 Body cam footage shows Singleton outside the home as firefighters battled the massive blaze. Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2025 The opportunity to investigate that with the body cam footage and see the triviality of the conflict. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 25 Jan. 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

Dictionary Entries Near cam

Cite this Entry

“Cam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cam. Accessed 22 Feb. 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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