camera obscura

UK/ˌkæm.ə.ɹə əbˈskjʊə.ɹə/UK/ˌkæm.ɹə əbˈskjʊə.ɹə/US/ˌkæm.ɚ.ə əbˈskjʊɚ.ə/US/ˌkæm.ɹə əbˈskjʊɚ.ə/

noun

A darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface.

OriginNew Latin camera obscūra →
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Meanings

nouncamera obscura (plural camerae obscurae or camera obscuras)

plural camerae obscurae · plural camera obscuras

  1. A darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface.

Origin

  1. New Latincamera obscūra
  2. Englishcamera obscura

From New Latin camera obscūra (literally “dark chamber”); compare camera.

More words from New Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian ка́мера обску́ра
  • ка́мера обску́ра (kámera obskúra)darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Chinese Mandarin 暗箱, 暗匣
  • 暗箱 (ànxiāng)darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
  • 暗匣 (ànxiá)darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Finnish neulanreikäkamera, camera obscura
  • neulanreikäkameradarkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
  • camera obscuradarkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
French chambre noire
  • chambre noiredarkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
German Camera obscura
  • Camera obscuradarkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Greek σκοτεινός θάλαμος
  • σκοτεινός θάλαμος (skoteinós thálamos)darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Hebrew לִשְׁכָּה אֲפֵלָה
  • לִשְׁכָּה אֲפֵלָה (lishká afelá)darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Hungarian sötétkamra
  • sötétkamradarkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Italian camera oscura
  • camera oscuradarkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Polish camera obscura
  • camera obscuradarkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Portuguese câmera escura, câmara escura
  • câmera escuradarkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
  • câmara escuradarkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Russian ка́мера-обску́ра
  • ка́мера-обску́ра (kámera-obskúra)darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Spanish cámara oscura
  • cámara oscuradarkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Welsh siambr dywyll
  • siambr dywylldarkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Cite this entry
APA

camera obscura. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/camera%20obscura

MLA

“camera obscura.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/camera%20obscura. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “camera obscura,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/camera%20obscura.

Source: camera obscura on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.