camber

[ kam-ber ]

verb (used with or without object)

1. to arch slightly; bend or curve upward in the middle.

noun

1. a slight arching, upward curve, or convexity, as of the deck of a ship.
2. a slightly arching piece of timber.
3. Aeronautics. the rise of the curve of an airfoil, usually expressed as the ratio of the rise to the length of the chord of the airfoil.
4. Automotive. the outward or inward tilt of a wheel, called positive when the top tilts outward and negative when it tilts inward, measured as the angle, in degrees, between the vertical and a plane through the circumference of the tire.

camber

/ ˈkæmbə /

noun

1. a slight upward curve to the centre of the surface of a road, ship's deck, etc
2. another name for bank 2
3. an outward inclination of the front wheels of a road vehicle so that they are slightly closer together at the bottom than at the top
4. Also calledhog a small arching curve of a beam or girder provided to lessen deflection and improve appearance
5. aerofoil curvature expressed by the ratio of the maximum height of the aerofoil mean line to its chord

verb

1. to form or be formed with a surface that curves upwards to its centre

Other Words From

• un·cambered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of camber¹

1610–20; < Middle French (north) cambre bent < Latin camur hooked, curved

Word History and Origins

Origin of camber¹

C17: from Old French (northern dialect) cambre curved, from Latin camurus; related to camera chamber

Example Sentences

“You’re more likely to be blocked out by those trees on the left just because of the camber of the fairway. Then there’s no decision to be made there. You can’t go for the green.”

From Seattle Times

Who knows whether they want twin tips or a more cambered ski if they’ve never even ridden a chairlift?

From Washington Post

Back on 6, Kupcho sends a sensational second pin high to six feet, using the camber of the green to gather the ball right to left and towards the hole.

From The Guardian

Third, he takes advantage of his fortune by sending his second from 150 yards onto the top tier of the green, using the camber to gather his ball right and down towards the cup!

From The Guardian

But taken by itself, the principle of action and reaction also fails to explain the lower pressure atop the wing, which exists in that region irrespective of whether the airfoil is cambered.

From Scientific American

Related Words

• bow
• buckle
• crouch
• curl
• flex
• incline
• lean
• stoop
• tilt
• twist
• veer