camp
KAMP
Camp (noun) means a place with tents, cabins, or temporary shelters where people stay, especially outdoors. Example: “The scouts packed up their camp and walked back down the hill.”
noun
1
A place with tents, cabins, or temporary shelters where people stay, especially outdoors.
"The scouts packed up their camp and walked back down the hill."
"Our camp had a small kitchen tent and a few wooden cabins."
"We pitched camp beside the river before dark."
2
A group activity or programme, often for children, focused on a particular skill or theme.
"My brother spent a week at football camp and came home exhausted."
"The library runs a free coding camp for beginners every August."
"She signed her daughter up for summer camp."
3
A deliberately exaggerated, theatrical, or self-mocking style, especially in fashion or performance.
"Fans love the singer's mix of glamour and camp on stage."
"There is a lot of camp in that old television show's dramatic villains."
"The musical leaned hard into camp, with glitter and over-the-top costumes."
adjective
1
Exaggerated, theatrical, or flamboyantly over-the-top, often knowingly so.
"The party had a wonderfully camp theme, with feather boas and glitter everywhere."
"Her camp humour made even the dullest meeting feel like a show."
"His camp delivery had the whole audience laughing."
verb
1
To stay temporarily in a tent or outdoor shelter.
"We like to camp in the hills when the weather is dry."
"Hundreds of walkers were camping in the field beside the farm."
"They camped near the lake for the weekend."
How to use camp
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a place to stay outdoors, or (as an adjective) a deliberately theatrical, over-the-top style.
Common mistake
The outdoor "camp" and the theatrical "camp" (as in camp humour or camp fashion) are unrelated senses that just happen to share a spelling.
Common pairings
pitch camp
summer camp
camp it up
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Word forms
- Plural
- camps
- Third person singular
- camps
- Past tense
- camped
- Comparative
- camper
- Superlative
- campest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The scouts packed up their _____ and walked back down the hill.
Etymology
Origin uncertain; possibly linked to French camper ("to strike a pose") for the theatrical sense, and to Latin campus ("field") for the outdoor-shelter sense.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
uncamp
uncampy
Related words
Rhymes for camp
See all rhymes for camp →Frequently asked questions
What does “camp” mean?
The word “camp” means a place with tents, cabins, or temporary shelters where people stay, especially outdoors. In plain terms, either a place to stay outdoors, or (as an adjective) a deliberately theatrical, over-the-top style.
How do you pronounce “camp”?
“Camp” is pronounced KAMP (/ˈkeə̯mp/ in IPA).
How do you use “camp” in a sentence?
Here is “camp” used in a sentence: “We pitched camp beside the river before dark.”
What is another word for “camp”?
Words with a similar meaning to “camp” include campy and campish.
What is the opposite of “camp”?
The opposite of “camp” — its antonyms — are uncamp and uncampy.
What part of speech is “camp”?
Depending on how it is used, “camp” can be a noun, an adjective and a verb.
Where does the word “camp” come from?
The word “camp” comes from Latin. Origin uncertain; possibly linked to French camper ("to strike a pose") for the theatrical sense, and to Latin campus ("field") for the outdoor-shelter sense.
Is “camp” a common word?
“Camp” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between a camp and a campsite?
A camp is the group of tents, cabins, or shelters together with the people staying there, while a campsite is specifically the plot of ground or the facility set aside for camping. You pitch your tent on a campsite; once you are settled in with others, the whole arrangement becomes a camp.
What are the different types of camps?
Camps serve many purposes. Summer camps host children for outdoor activities, boot camps run intensive training, and base camps support climbers or expeditions. There are also refugee camps for displaced people and military camps for troops. The common thread is temporary shelter where a group stays for a shared reason.
What is an example of a camp?
A summer camp is a familiar example: children stay in cabins for a week or two, taking part in swimming, hiking, and campfires. A mountaineering base camp is another — a cluster of tents where climbers rest and prepare before attempting a summit.
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