Etymology Map
Back to all words

Camera

4 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means a device for taking photographs

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

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

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.