# kam
## Translingual
### Symbol

kam
* (international standards) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-3 language code for Kamba.

### See also

* Wiktionary’s coverage of Kamba terms

## English
### Etymology

From Welsh cam (“bent, crooked, distorted”), from Middle Welsh cam, from Old Welsh cam, from Proto-Brythonic *kam, from Proto-Celtic *kambos.
Cognate with Scottish Gaelic cam, Irish cam, French camus (“flat-nosed”) and more distantly Ancient Greek σκαμβός (skambós, “crooked, bent, bow-legged”). Doublet of camous.

### Adjective

kam (not comparable)
* (obsolete) Crooked, awry.
** c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:This is clean kam.

### References

* “cam, adj. and adv.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

### Anagrams

* AMK, KMA, Mak, ma'k, mak

## Afrikaans
### Etymology

From Dutch kam.

### Pronunciation

* Audio:(file)

### Noun

kam (plural kamme)
* comb

## Ainu
### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ka̠m]

### Noun

kam (Kana spelling カㇺ)
* flesh, meat
    unma kam hure.Horse meat is red.

## Albanian
### Alternative forms

* kom — Kosovo

### Etymology

Suppletive. The present, imperfect, and subjunctive are from Proto-Albanian *kapmi, from Proto-Indo-European *kap- (“to seize, to grasp”), cognate with Latin capiō (“take, seize”) and Proto-Germanic *habjaną (“to have, to hold”) (whence English have, German haben (“to have”), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌽 (haban, “to have”)). The other tenses and participle are from Proto-Albanian *pat(i)-, from Proto-Indo-European *pótis (“owner, master, host, husband”), cognate with Latin potis (“able, capable”), Ancient Greek πόσις (pósis), Sanskrit पति (páti).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [kam]

### Verb

kam (aorist pata, participle pasur)
* to have
* (impersonal, third person) there is

#### Conjugation

* active voice
* Show compound tenses:

#### Related terms

* kap

### References

* ↑ Orel, Vladimir E. (1998) “kam”, in Albanian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden, Boston, Köln: Brill, →ISBN, page 167

## Angloromani
### Alternative forms

* kan, tam

### Etymology

Inherited from Romani kham.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈkʰæm], [ˈcæm]

### Noun

kam
* sun

### References

* “kam”, in Angloromani Dictionary‎, The Manchester Romani Project, 2004-2006, archived from the original on November 26, 2021, page 141

## Azerbaijani
### Etymology

Borrowed from Classical Persian کام.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [cam], [t͡ʃɑm]

### Noun

kam (definite accusative kamı, plural kamlar)
* wish, desire
    Synonyms: arzu, dilək, istək
* pleasure
    Synonyms: ləzzət, zövq

#### Declension
### Further reading

* “kam” in Obastan.com.

## Chinese
### Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “related to 尷? related to English kam?”)

#### Pronunciation

* Cantonese (Jyutping): kem$^5$
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: kem$^5$
*** Cantonese Pinyin: kem$^5$
*** Guangdong Romanization: kém$^5$
*** Sinological IPA : /kʰɛːm¹³/

#### Adjective

kam
* (Cantonese, of people) cringe; weird; awkward
    kam撚 [Cantonese] ― kem$^5$ lan$^2$ [Jyutping] ― cringe person
* (Cantonese, of event or action) cringe; embarrassing

### Etymology 2

Onomatopoeic.

#### Pronunciation

* Cantonese (Jyutping): kem$^4$ / kem$^{4-2}$
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: kem$^4$ / kem$^{4-2}$
*** Cantonese Pinyin: kem$^4$ / kem$^{4-2}$
*** Guangdong Romanization: kém$^4$ / kém$^{4-2}$
*** Sinological IPA : /kʰɛːm²¹/, /kʰɛːm²¹⁻³⁵/

#### Verb

kam
* (Cantonese) to clear one's throat

##### Alternative forms

* kem, 鉗 / 钳 (qián)

## Czech
### Etymology

Inherited from Old Czech kam(o), from Proto-Slavic *kamo.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈkam]
* Audio:(file)

### Adverb

kam
* where, whither (to what place)
    Antonym: odkud

#### Derived terms

* kamsi
* kdekam
* leckam
* ledakam
* někam
* nikam

### Further reading

* “kam”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
* “kam”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
* “kam”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

## Danish
### Etymology

From Old Norse kambr, from Proto-Germanic *kambaz, Norwegian, Swedish kam, English comb, German Kamm. The Germanic noun goes back to Proto-Indo-European *ǵómbʰos (“tooth, peg”), which is also the source of Sanskrit: जम्भः (jámbhaḥ, “tooth”), Ancient Greek γόμφος (gómphos, “peg”), Polish ząb (“tooth”).

### Noun

kam c (singular definite kammen, plural indefinite kamme)
* comb
* crest (of an animal)
* loin, back (of a butchered animal)
* ridge (of a mountain)

#### Derived terms

* bakkekam
* benkam
* bjergkam
* bølgekam
* hanekam
* kambregne
* kamgarn
* kamgavl
* kamgræs
* kamme
* kamme over
* kammusling
* kamskive
* kamsteg
* kamstykke
* kamtakket
* lammekam
* mellemkam
* nakkekam
* redekam
* svinekam
* tykkam
* tættekam

### References

* “kam” in Den Danske Ordbog

## Dutch
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kɑm/
* Rhymes: -ɑm
* Audio:(file)

### Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch kamp, from Old Dutch *kamb, from Proto-West Germanic *kamb, from Proto-Germanic *kambaz (“comb”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵómbʰos (“tooth; row of teeth”).

#### Noun

kam m (plural kammen, diminutive kammetje n)
* a comb, utensil to groom hair, fur etc.
* (by extension) a ridge or comb-like structure
    De kam van de berg is bedekt met sneeuw. ― The ridge of the mountain is covered in snow.
* (technical) a cam
* a bridge (e.g. of a violin)

##### Derived terms

* bergkam
* cellokam
* haarkam
* hanenkam
* heuvelkam
* kamband
* kamblad
* kambuisje
* kamdoos
* kamdoublet
* kamdrager
* kamduiker
* kamduin
* kametui
* kamgaren
* kamgras
* kamhaak
* kamhoen
* kamhout
* kamkever
* kammeling
* kammen
* kammer
* kamneus
* kamoester
* kamplaat
* kamrad
* kamreep
* kamschede
* kamschelp
* kamsel
* kamslager
* kamvaren
* kamwiel
* over een kam scheren
* paardenkam
* roskam
* stofkam
* vioolkam

##### Descendants

* Afrikaans: kam
* Berbice Creole Dutch: kam
* Negerhollands: kam
* Skepi Creole Dutch: kam
* → English: cam
** → Welsh: cam
* → French: came
** → Romanian: camă
* → Italian: camma
* → Sranan Tongo: kankan, kam, kamm
** → Aukan: kankan
** → Saramaccan: kán

### Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

#### Verb

kam
* inflection of kammen:
** first-person singular present indicative
** (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
** imperative

### Anagrams

* mak

## Garo
### Etymology

Borrowed from Assamese কাম (kam).

### Noun

kam
* work

#### Derived terms

* kam ka·a

## German
### Pronunciation

* IPA: [kaːm]
* Audio:(file)

### Verb

kam
* first/third-person singular preterite of kommen

## Hausa
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kám/
** (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA: [kám]

### Ideophone

kam
* firmly, tightly
* adamant, insistent

#### Alternative forms

* kam-kam

## Ido
### Etymology

Borrowed from Latin quam. The initial qu was changed to k so as not to cause confusion with the word with quan.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kam/

### Adverb

kam
* than, as, to (in comparison)
    La karno esas plu fresha kam la fisho. ― The meat is fresher than the fish.
    Co esas tam utila kam to. ― This one is as useful as that one.

### See also

* tam

## Kashubian
### Alternative forms

* kamiéń, kamiń

### Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *kamy.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈkam/
* Rhymes: -am
* Syllabification: kam

### Noun

kam m inan
* stone (piece of rock that has been separated)

#### Declension
### Further reading

* Stefan Ramułt (1893) “kam”, in Słownik języka pomorskiego czyli kaszubskiego (in Kashubian), page 66
* Sychta, Bernard (1968) “kam”, in Słownik gwar kaszubskich [Dictionary of Kashubian dialects] (in Polish), volumes 2 (H – L), Wrocław: Ossolineum, page 125
* Jan Trepczyk (1994) “kamień”, in Słownik polsko-kaszubski (in Kashubian), volumes 1–2
* Eùgeniusz Gòłąbk (2011) “kamień”, in Słownik Polsko-Kaszubski / Słowôrz Pòlskò-Kaszëbsczi‎
* “kam”, in Internetowi Słowôrz Kaszëbsczégò Jãzëka [Internet Dictionary of the Kashubian Language], Fundacja Kaszuby, 2022

## Latvian
### Pronoun

kam
* dative of kas

## Lithuanian
### Pronoun

kam
* dative of kas
* (derogatory) (interrogative) why, for what reason, what's the reason (literally: who for)
    O kam tau to reikia?
       And why do you barely need this?

#### Synonyms

* (why) kodėl
* (why) dėl ko

## Northern Kurdish
### Etymology

From Armenian կամ (kam).

### Noun

kam ?
* threshing sledge, threshing board
    Synonyms: cencer, patoz

### References

* ↑ Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1973) “կամն”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume II, Yerevan: University Press, page 502b
* ↑ Cabolov, R. L. (2001) Etimologičeskij slovarʹ kurdskovo jazyka [Etymological Dictionary of the Kurdish Language] (in Russian), volume I, Moscow: Russian Academy Press Vostochnaya Literatura, page 513
* ↑ Jaba, Auguste, Justi, Ferdinand (1879) Dictionnaire Kurde-Français [Kurdish–French Dictionary], Saint Petersburg: Imperial Academy of Sciences, page 323b

## Norwegian Bokmål
### Etymology

From Old Norse kambr.

### Noun

kam m (definite singular kammen, indefinite plural kammer, definite plural kammene)
* a comb

#### Derived terms

* fjellkam
* kamaksel
* åskam

### References

* “kam” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

## Norwegian Nynorsk
### Etymology

From Old Norse kambr. Akin to English comb.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kɑmː/

### Noun

kam m (definite singular kammen, indefinite plural kammar, definite plural kammane)
* a comb

#### Derived terms

* bjørnekam
* fjellkam
* kamaksel
* lusekam
* åskam

### References

* “kam” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

## Phalura
### Etymology

Borrowed from Urdu کم (kam), from Persian کم (kam).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kam/

### Adjective

kam (invariable, Perso-Arabic spelling کم)
* less
* inferior

### References

* Henrik Liljegren, Naseem Haider (2011) “kam”, in Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)‎, Islamabad, Pakistan: Forum for Language Initiatives, →ISBN

## Serbo-Croatian
### Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *kamy.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kâːm/

#### Noun

kȃm m (Cyrillic spelling ка̑м)
* (poetic) stone, rock

##### Declension
### Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *kamo.

#### Adverb

kam (Cyrillic spelling кам)
* (Kajkavian) where (to), in which direction, whither
    Synonym: kamo

## Slovincian
### Alternative forms

* kamë, kamjeń

### Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *kamy.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈkam/
* Rhymes: -am
* Syllabification: kam

### Noun

kam m inan
* stone (piece of rock that has been separated)

### Further reading

* Lorentz, Friedrich (1908) “ką̃m”, in Slovinzisches Wörterbuch‎ (in German), volume 1, Saint Petersburg: ОРЯС ИАН, page 429

## Sumerian
### Romanization

kam
* Romanization of 𒄰 (kam)

## Swedish
### Etymology

From Old Swedish kamber, from Old Norse kambr, cognate with Danish kam and Dutch kam.
That in turn derived from Proto-Germanic *kambaz, whence also Old English camb (English comb), Old High German kamb (German Kamm). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵómbʰos (“tooth (animate)”), whence also Ancient Greek γόμφος (gómphos, “peg”), Lithuanian žam̃bas, Old Church Slavonic зѫбъ (zǫbŭ, “tooth”), Russian зуб (zub, “tooth”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kam/, IPA: [kʰam]

### Noun

kam c
* a comb for grooming hair
* a comb, a fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles
* a crest, summit of a hill or mountain ridge
* a crest, ridge of a wave
* a cam, a part of an engine

#### Derived terms

* bergskam (mountain ridge)
* vågkam (wave ridge)

#### Related terms

* kamma

### References

* 1 2 3 4 5 Swedish etymological dictionary (article "kam", in Swedish)

### Anagrams

* mak

## Talysh
### Etymology

Cognate with Persian کم (kam).

### Adverb

kam
* a few, a little

## Tok Pisin
### Etymology

From English come.

### Noun

kam
* come
** 1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 1:2:Tudak i karamapim bikpela wara na spirit bilong God i go i kam antap long en.→New International Version translation

## White Hmong
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ka˩̰/

### Etymology 1

* This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Not mentioned by Ratliff at all. The "accustomed to" meaning is very likely borrowed from Chinese 慣／惯 (guàn, “to become accustomed”). The "willing, agreeable" meaning seems to be a semantic extension of the "accustomed to" meaning. Or perhaps it's from 敢 (gǎn, “dare to”)? Or maybe it's native Hmongic or from some other source?”

#### Verb

kam
* to be willing, agreeable
    Kuv kam thiab. ― I'm willing.
    Kuv tsis kam mus. ― I won't go.

#### Adverb

kam
* accustomed to
    Noj mov tsi kam. ― Unaccustomed to eating rice.
    Nws sau ntawv tsis kam. ― He isn't accustomed to writing.

### Etymology 2

* This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Not mentioned by Ratliff at all. Perhaps borrowed from Chinese 幹／干 (gàn, “trunk; (colloquial) to do”) or 關／关 (guān, “to concern”)?”

#### Noun

kam (classifier: tus)
* business, affairs
    Koj muaj kam dab tsi? ― What is your business? What do you want?
    kam teb chaws ― national affairs; national politics

### References

* Heimbach, Ernest E. (1979) White Hmong — English Dictionary‎, SEAP Publications, →ISBN, page 75.

## Yogad
### Pronoun

kam
* you (plural)

## Zazaki
### Alternative forms

* kom

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /cam/

### Pronoun

kam
* who