Dromedary is a camel with a single hump, native to warm climates but now widely distributed. The word denotes the species Camelus dromedarius and is used in zoology, travel writing, and everyday language when referring to camels in deserts. It contrasts with the Bactrian camel, which has two humps. (2-4 sentences, ~60 words)
"The Bedouins traveled on a dromedary across the arid plain."
"A dromedary’s single hump stores fat, not water."
"He described the long-legged dromedary standing in the sun."
"Researchers studied the dromedary’s heat tolerance and endurance."
Dromedary comes from Middle English dromedarie, from Old French dromedaire, from Latin dromedarius, which itself derives from Greek dromedarios. The root drom- means to run, reflecting the animal’s speed, from the Greek word dromos “running” and pod- “foot” in related terms. The form evolved through Arabic and Persian inflows in medieval trade routes before entering European natural history texts. The classical description of the one-humped camel traces to Arab traders and Greco-Roman writers who named and cataloged camelid species as they explored desert regions. The term appears in English medical and natural history writings by the 16th century, with “dromedary” becoming the standard English designation for the one-humped camel by the 19th century. The usage broadened beyond scientific circles to general travel literature and everyday reference as camelid diversity became a familiar part of global fauna. Today, the word carries zoological precision and cultural associations with desert caravans, endurance travel, and warm-climate regions across Africa and Asia.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Dromedary" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Dromedary"
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You say /ˈdroʊ.məˌder.i/ in US and /ˈdrəʊ.məˌdɑː.ri/ in UK; AU typically aligns with US. Primary stress on the first syllable: DRO-, with a light, schwa-like second syllable, and a clear final -ry. Focus on the /dr/ starting cluster, the /oʊ/ diphthong, and the /ˌderi/ ending where the r is soft in non-rhotic accents. For practice, say: DROH-muh-DAIR-ee.
Common errors include misplacing stress (e.g., dro-ME-dary) and mispronouncing the second syllable as a full vowel like /eɪ/ instead of a schwa /ə/. Another frequent slip is running the final /ri/ too quickly or dropping the /r/ in non-rhotic accents. Correct by stressing the first syllable, using /ˈdroʊ.məˌder.i/ (US) and keeping a light, unstressed second syllable, with a clear but not exaggerated final /i/.
US tends to use /ˈdroʊ.məˌder.i/ with rhotic /r/ and a long /oʊ/; UK typically /ˈdrəʊ.məˌdɑː.ri/ with non-rhotic /r/ and a longer /ɑː/ in the final syllable; AU follows US-influenced vowel quality but may reduce the final /i/ slightly. Across accents, the first syllable is stressed, but vowel quality shifts: US uses /oʊ/ vs UK’s /əʊ/ and AU’s more open /ɑː/ in the third syllable. IPA references help ensure accuracy.
Dromedary blends three syllables with a rarely sequenced /dr/ onset, an unstressed second syllable, and a multisyllabic ending. The challenge lies in coordinating the diphthong /oʊ/ after /dr/, maintaining a light /ə/ in the middle, and keeping the final /ri/ crisp without adding extra syllables. Practicing the sequence slowly with IPA cues helps solidify accuracy.
No, Dromedary pronounces all letters clearly: the first syllable has a clear D-R cluster, the second is a unstressed schwa, and the final -ary is pronounced with a pronounced /i/ ending. There are no silent letters in standard English pronunciation; each letter contributes to the syllable rhythm and meaning.
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