Camera is a hand-held or mounted device for capturing images and video, combining an optical lens system with a sensor and processing unit. In everyday use, it refers to both the physical hardware and the act of filming; in photography and cinema, it denotes the instrument through which light is translated into pictures. The term also appears in phrases like camera obscura and camera settings on smartphones.
- You may overemphasize the second syllable, saying /ˈkæ.mɛr.ə/ or /ˈkeɪ.mə.rə/. Instead, aim for /ˈkæ.mə.rə/ with a quick, light second syllable. - The middle /ə/ is a true schwa; crushing it into /ɪ/ or /ʌ/ makes it sound non-native. Practice with a quick, neutral vowel: /ə/. - Some learners insert an extra syllable, producing /ˈkeɪ.mə.rə/ or /ˈkæ.məɹə/. Keep the first syllable stressed and avoid adding a second strong syllable. - Final /ə/ followed by /r/ can be merged in fast speech. In non-rhotic varieties, you may drop the /r/ or soften it; ensure your main rhythm remains CAM-uh-ruh, even if the /r/ isn’t strongly pronounced.
- US: Keep /ˈkæ.mə.rə/ with rhotic /r/ in coda position; ensure a clear but light /ə/ middle vowel. - UK: Often less rhotic; the /r/ may be non-pronounced in coda; the middle /ə/ remains. The first syllable remains crisp: /ˈkæ.mə.rə/. - AU: Similar to US but with slightly broader vowel in /æ/ and a tendency to roll the /r/ less, yielding /ˈkæ.mə.rə/ with soft r or silent r depending on speaker. IPA notes: US/UK/AU share /ˈkæ.mə.rə/ but rhoticity and vowel quality vary; maintain a strong initial consonant and a relaxed, quick middle.
"She bought a new camera for her travel blog."
"The documentary crew set up the camera on a tripod."
"He adjusted the camera settings to reduce glare."
"A hidden camera recorded the moment without their awareness."
Camera derives from late Latin camera, meaning 'vaulted chamber' or 'room' (from Latin camARA, ultimately from Greek kumbos ‘hollow,’ via Old French cambre). In the 17th century, the term extended to refer to a chamber or vaulted room used for a camera obscura, an optical device projecting images of the external world onto a screen. By the 19th century, with the invention of photography, camera came to denote the device that captures light and forms images—initially as a room or cabinet housing the optics, then as an instrument for motion and still photography. The word’s semantic shift tracks the technological evolution: from a literal darkened chamber to the specialized instrument housing lenses, shutters, and sensors. First English uses appeared in scientific and optical treatises; by the late 1800s, literature and catalogs began using camera to denote handheld imaging devices, cementing its modern sense. Today, camera often expands to include digital cameras and smartphone cameras, while remaining rooted in its original sense of a device that captures light to create images.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Camera" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Camera" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Camera"
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Camera is pronounced /ˈkæmərə/ in US, UK, and AU accents. The primary stress falls on the first syllable: 'CAM-er-a.' The second syllable reduces to a schwa /ə/, so the sequence sounds like KAM-uh-ruh. When speaking quickly, the final /ə/ may almost vanish, but keep it lightly to avoid merging with the next word. Listen for the crisp initial /k/ and the unstressed second syllable.
Common mistakes include pronouncing it as /ˈkæmˌəreɪ/ (over-articulating the second syllable) and saying /ˈkeɪmərə/ (misplacing the stress or vowel in the first syllable). Another frequent error is turning the second syllable into a full vowel like /ɜː/ instead of a subtle /ə/. To correct, keep the first syllable as /ˈkæm/ with a short, crisp /æ/ and let the second be a quick, relaxed /ə/ before the final /rə/ or /rə/ depending on the flow. Practicing with minimal pairs helps: CAM-ər-ə vs CA-mer-uh.
In US, the /æ/ in the first syllable is a flat, front vowel, with a rhotic /r/ following the second vowel: /ˈkæ.mə.rə/. In many UK accents, you may hear a shorter, more central vowel in the second syllable and a less prominent /r/ in non-rhotic variants; some speakers reduce to /ˈkæ.mə.ə/ in rapid speech. Australian pronunciation tends to be similar to US but with a broader vowel in /æ/ and a slightly more pronounced, trailing /ə/ before the final /r/ in connected speech. In all, primary stress remains on the first syllable, but rhoticity and vowel quality shift subtly.
The difficulty comes from a three-syllable rhythm with a stressed first syllable and a weak, unstressed second syllable that often reduces to a schwa, followed by a final syllable with /rə/ or /rə/ in many dialects. The /æ/ in the first syllable is a low-front vowel that can be mispronounced by English learners whose L1 vowels differ; the trailing /r/ is tricky in non-rhotic accents. Achieving a natural sequence CAM-uh-ruh requires precise timing: strong initial consonant, quick, relaxed middle, and a clear but soft ending.
A key, camera-specific feature is the schwa in the second syllable. Many learners overemphasize the middle vowel, turning /ˈkæmərə/ into /ˈkæmɜːrə/. The correct reduced form is a short, soft /ə/ between the plosive /kæm/ and the trailing /rə/ segment, which in connected speech often blends toward /kæm.rə/ with a light 'ruh' ending. Keep the mouth relaxed for the second syllable and avoid turning it into a full vowel or strong syllable. IPA cue: /ˈkæ.mə.rə/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Camera"!
- Shadowing: Listen to a native speaker saying ‘camera’ in natural sentences; repeat with equal tempo, matching intonation and rhythm. Start slow, then speed up. - Minimal pairs: compare /ˈkæ.mə.rə/ vs /ˈkeɪ.mə.rə/ (different first vowel) and practice with contexts where you must differentiate camera from camara (camera vs camara without stress). - Rhythm practice: Practice CAM-uh-ruh with stress on first syllable, the middle schwa reduced; use a metronome at 60 BPM, then 90 BPM, then 120 BPM. - Stress: Ensure primary stress on the first syllable; use visualization of beat 1 strong, beats 2-3 weak. - Recording: Record yourself saying ‘camera settings’ in a sentence; compare to a native; adjust mouth position and timing accordingly.
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