Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. The one-humped domesticated camel (Camelus dromedarius), widely used as a beast of burden in northern Africa and western Asia. Also called Arabian camel.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A thorough-bred or blooded Arabian camel, of more than ordinary speed and bottom, expressly cultivated and used for riding. The dromedary is not a distinct or natural species, but an improved domestic breed or race, bearing the same relation to an ordinary camel that a race-horse or hunter does to a common horse. Dromedaries are for the most part of the one-humped species, Camelus dromedarius; but the two-humped Bactrian camel may also be improved into a dromedary. See
camel . - n. Same as dromon.
Wiktionary
- n. Camelus dromedarius, the single-humped camel.
- n. Any swift riding camel.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. The Arabian camel (Camelus dromedarius), having one hump or protuberance on the back, in distinction from the
Bactrian camel , which has two humps.
WordNet 3.0
- n. one-humped camel of the hot deserts of northern Africa and southwestern Asia
Etymologies
- Middle English dromedarie, from Old French dromedaire, from Late Latin dromedārius, from Latin dromas, dromad-, from Greek, running.
Examples
“-- E.] [Footnote 77: In modern language the term dromedary is very improperly applied to the Bactrian, or two-hunched camel, a slow beast of burden.”
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 07
“The word dromedary is formed from the Greek _celer_, and only belongs to”
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 07
“Turkistan or Bactriana; the dromedary is confined to Arabia and”
“Perplexed Tribune auditors decided the dromedary was a capital expense and wired O'Reilly: "WHERE IS CAMEL?”
The Washington Post: Sparing no expense: Reimbursements to remember
“The trot of the dromedary is a pace terribly disagreeable to the rider, until he becomes a little accustomed to it; but after the first half-hour I so far schooled myself to this new exercise, that”
“And he said there was another camel with two humps, and he was created for riding, and was called a dromedary, and when ye rode him, ye sat at your ease between the two humps, which made a soft saddle, just like an arm-chair ye straddled on, only without arms.”
“The dromedary is a swifter animal than the baggage-camel, and is used chiefly for riding purposes; it is merely a finer breed than the other.”
“The trot of the dromedary is a pace terribly disagreeable to the rider, until he becomes a little accustomed to it; but after the first half-hour”
“The difference between a camel and a dromedary is the difference between a hack and a thorough-bred horse.”
“How much better than a petrified peacock, or a labelled dromedary!”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘dromedary’.
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Better Words
Extremely fond of adjectives. To conquer phlegmatic speech and indolent phrases.
auric, hemispherical, quadrivial, adumbral, weighty, deuced, aliquot, commendable, anterior, osculant, ferly, enceinte and 26 more...
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-ary
relating to; like; thing/person connected to
centenary, tutelary, seminary, legendary, military, aviary, solitary, topiary, dromedary
sionnach The Dromedary is a cheerful bird:
I cannot say the same about the Kurd.
(Hilaire Belloc) Dec 31, 2007
npydyuan This reminds me of davenport. Sep 17, 2007
jennarenn A class full of second graders will be thanking you on Monday. :) May 19, 2007
valse That is incredibly helpful. May 18, 2007
lampbane Remember kids, a 'D' has one hump in it, just like a dromedary! Dec 19, 2006