Definition of "camelback" in English

noun

1. (uncountable) The backs of camels.

   • We travelled across the desert on camelback.

2. (countable) A flexible water container worn on the back.

   • An empty camelback is a blessing and a curse: it is easy to carry, but it means you have no water.

3. (countable) A house with a second storey that does not completely cover the ground floor.

   • My friend lived in a camelback; we used to have fun climbing out of the window onto the roof below.

4. (countable, rail transport) A railway locomotive that has its cab in the middle as opposed to at the end.

   • The camelbacks were designed to help with the visibility problems inherent in putting the driver behind the entire engine.

5. (countable) A sofa or chair whose back has a raised middle part.

   • He fell back relieved into his favourite camelback with a gin and tonic.

6. (uncountable) A type of rubber used in tyre restoration.

   • We require four million tons of camelback each year.
   • The camelback rubber produced in this plant is shipped around the world.

7. (countable) One or more hump-shaped hills on a straight portion of rollercoaster track, designed to lift riders out of their seats and provide a feeling of weightlessness.