verb
Very common
came
KAYM
Came (verb) means past tense of "come" — used to describe something arriving or happening in the past. Example: “She came home late after the concert.”
verb
1
Past tense of "come" — used to describe something arriving or happening in the past.
"She came home late after the concert."
"The rain came suddenly, catching everyone without umbrellas."
"The bus came early, so we nearly missed it."
noun
1
A thin strip of metal, traditionally lead, used to join pieces of glass together in a stained-glass window.
"The craftsman soldered each pane into its lead came."
"Each pane of glass was held in place by a narrow came."
"The restorer replaced the cracked lead came around the old church window."
How to use came
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMostly the past tense of "come"; the glasswork sense is a specialist, unrelated word.
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Word forms
- Plural
- cames
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She _____ home late after the concert.
Etymology
Attested from the 17th century, this word is of unknown origin. It possibly comes from kame ("a ridge"). Compare Scots came ("comb"), Scots kame ("combing; a ridge"), and Middle English camet ("silver").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for came
See all rhymes for came →Frequently asked questions
What does “came” mean?
The word “came” means past tense of "come" — used to describe something arriving or happening in the past. In plain terms, mostly the past tense of "come"; the glasswork sense is a specialist, unrelated word.
How do you pronounce “came”?
“Came” is pronounced KAYM (/ˈkeɪ̯m/ in IPA).
How do you use “came” in a sentence?
Here is “came” used in a sentence: “She came home late after the concert.”
What part of speech is “came”?
Depending on how it is used, “came” can be a verb and a noun.
Is “came” a common word?
“Came” is a very common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “came” have?
“Came” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: past tense of "come" — used to describe something arriving or happening in the past.
What is the difference between 'came' and 'come'?
'Came' is the simple past tense: 'She came home early'. 'Come' is the base or present form ('I come here often') and also the past participle used with 'have': 'She has come home'. So you say 'he came' but 'he has come', never 'he has came'.
What is the present tense of 'came'?
The present tense of 'came' is 'come'. 'Came' is its irregular past form, so 'they come today' becomes 'they came yesterday'. The past participle is also 'come', which is why the three principal parts are simply come, came, come — an unusual pattern worth memorising.
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