French word

chameau

Pronunciation

IPA/ʃamo/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncamel

Example

J'ai vu un chameau au zoo.

I saw a camel at the zoo.

Illustration for chameau (camel)

More examples

Il a publié une photo d'un chameau sur les réseaux sociaux.

He published a photo of a camel on social media.

Core concept

A large, heat-adapted pack animal moving across dry land with people or goods.

Common phrases

  • photo d'un chameau

    photo of a camel

  • voir un chameau

    see a camel

Similar words

dromadaire: A single-humped animal commonly used for long-distance transport in the desert.

Definition in French

Mammifère domestiqué des milieux désertiques, adapté à la chaleur et employé pour le transport de personnes ou de marchandises.

Word origin

French chameau comes through Old French from Latin camelus, borrowed from Greek kamelos and ultimately linked to a Semitic word family.

Usage tips

  • Chameau is masculine, so the usual article is un chameau; the feminine form for a female camel is chamelle.

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