dromedary

noun

drom·​e·​dary ˈdrä-mə-ˌder-ē How to pronounce dromedary (audio)
 also  ˈdrə-,
-ˌde-rē
plural dromedaries
: the one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) currently existing only as a domestic or feral animal
… it was only the introduction of the dromedary to North Africa about the second century A.D. that made feasible in terms of costs and risks regular caravan trade from one rim of the Western Sahara to the other.— Ross E. Dunn

Examples of dromedary 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.
In this instance, the virus originated in dromedaries, a type of camel. — Michael T. Osterholm, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2020 The idea was designed to bring some neighborly joy while hopefully avoiding HOA fines for recipients of the dromedary. — Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 2 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Middle English dromedarie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin dromedarius, from Latin dromad-, dromas, from Greek, running; akin to Greek dramein to run, dromos racecourse, Sanskrit dramati he runs about

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dromedary was in the 13th century

Rhymes for dromedary

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Cite this Entry

“Dromedary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dromedary. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

dromedary

noun
drom·​e·​dary ˈdräm-ə-ˌder-ē How to pronounce dromedary (audio)
 also  ˈdrəm-
plural dromedaries
: the one-humped camel of western Asia and northern Africa

called also Arabian camel

More from Merriam-Webster on dromedary

Nglish: Translation of dromedary for Spanish Speakers

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