Word
camouflage
Phoneticscam·ou·flage, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkæməˌfɫɑʒ/
UK/kˈæməflˌɑːʒ/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. a way of hiding or blending in with your surroundings. Soldiers and animals use camouflage to avoid being seen.
n. the act of concealing or disguising something by matching its appearance to the surrounding environment; also, the materials or patterns used for this purpose.
Examples
“The soldier wore green camouflage.”
“The army uses digital camouflage patterns to help soldiers blend into forest environments.”
“The chameleon's ability to shift its skin color provides effective camouflage against predators in the dense jungle canopy.”
Examples
simple
“The soldier wore green camouflage.”
contextual
“The army uses digital camouflage patterns to help soldiers blend into forest environments.”
complex
“The chameleon's ability to shift its skin color provides effective camouflage against predators in the dense jungle canopy.”
Real-World Examples
“This coating can act as a form of camouflage, making it harder for immune cells to recognize and destroy them.” “Liu had taken his children along for the trip "as camouflage".” Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from French camouflage, from camoufler (“to veil, disguise”), alteration (due to camouflet (“smoke blown in one's face”)) of Italian camuffare (“to muffle the head”), from ca- (from Italian capo (“head”)) + muffare (“to muffle”), from Medieval Latin muffula, muffla (“muff”). This Medieval Latin, from which there is also English muffle, is either derived from a Frankish molfell (“soft garment made of hide”) from mol (“softened, forworn”) (akin to Old High German molawēn (“to soften”), Middle High German molwic (“soft”)) + fell (“hide, skin”), from Proto-Germanic fellą (“skin, film, fleece”), or, an alternate etymology traces it to a Frankish muffël (“a muff, wrap, envelope”) composed of mauwa (“sleeve, wrap”) from Proto-Germanic mawwō (“sleeve”) + fell (“skin, hide”) from Proto-Germanic *fellą (“skin, film, fleece”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/camouflage