camera

Where does the word "camera" come from? It comes from Greek kamara, passing through Latin and Modern Latin before entering English (1840s).

Camera’s story begins in Greek: kamara meant “vault.” A vaulted chamber. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Latin as camera. A vaulted room; also the source of 'chamber' and 'comrade'. From there it passed into Modern Latin as camera obscura by 1600s. 'dark room': the astronomer Johannes Kepler used the name in 1604 for a box that projects an image. It reached English by 1840s as camera. Shortened from 'camera obscura' when photography began. Today, camera means a device for taking photographs.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient kamara "vault", a vaulted chamber.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient camera "vaulted room", a vaulted room; also the source of 'chamber' and 'comrade'.
3. Stage 3 · Modern Latin · 1600s camera obscura "dark room", 'dark room': the astronomer Johannes Kepler used the name in 1604 for a box that projects an image.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1840s camera "photographic device", shortened from 'camera obscura' when photography began.