camber

IPA/ˈkæmbə(r)/
KK[kˈæmbɚ]IPA/ˈkæmbər/

camber — noun

  • cambersingular
  • cambersplural

1. the slight curve of a road surface that makes the middle higher than the edges,

1.nounC1
Definition

the slight curve of a road surface that makes the middle higher than the edges, so that rainwater can run off to the sides instead of pooling on the road

Example

The road's camber helped rainwater drain into the ditches on both sides.

collocation: road camber

The engineer checked the camber of the new highway section after heavy rain.

grammar pattern: the camber of [road]

Common collocations
  • road camber
  • surface camber
  • camber angle
  • correct camber
  • proper camber
  • camber of the road
Synonyms
  • slope

    more general; camber is a specific kind of slope (higher in the middle, lower at edges)

  • crown

    a near-synonym for the high point of a road, but 'crown' focuses on the peak, while 'camber' describes the whole curved shape

  • grade

    refers to the steepness of a road along its length, not the sideways curve that camber describes

Grammar Patterns

the camber of [road]

Usage Note

Most commonly used in road construction and civil engineering contexts. Frequently paired with 'road', 'surface', or 'highway'. Can be used as uncountable ('The road needs camber') or countable with an article ('a slight camber').

2. the angle at which a vehicle's wheels are set, with the top of the wheel closer

2.nounC1
Definition

the angle at which a vehicle's wheels are set, with the top of the wheel closer to or further from the car body than the bottom, to improve handling when turning

Example

A mechanic adjusted the front-wheel camber after the car pulled left.

collocation: adjust the camber

Racing cars often use negative camber to grip the track better in corners.

collocation: negative camber

Common collocations
  • camber angle
  • positive camber
  • negative camber
  • adjust camber
  • camber setting
  • check camber
Synonyms
  • wheel alignment

    broader term that includes camber, toe, and caster adjustments

  • tilt

    less technical; describes any leaning angle, not specifically the wheel's vertical angle

  • angle

    very general; camber is a specific measured angle of the wheel

Grammar Patterns

camber angle

positive/negative camber

Usage Note

Camber on a vehicle can be 'positive' (top of wheel leans outward) or 'negative' (top of wheel leans inward). This sense is almost always used in automotive or motorsport contexts.

Common Mistakes

The camber of my tyre is flat.
The tyre pressure is low.
Camber describes wheel angle, not air pressure.
I need a camber for my car.
I need a camber adjustment for my car.
Camber is a property, not a service.

camber — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Camber, crown, slope, and gradient all describe angled surfaces, but they differ in what they measure. Camber specifically refers to the sideways curve of a road that is higher in the middle and lower at the edges — its purpose is drainage, not direction. Crown is very close in meaning but names the high point itself (the 'top' of the camber) rather than the full curved shape. Slope is a general term for any surface that is not level; it can describe hills, ramps, or tilted floors. Gradient describes how steep a road is along its length (going up or down a hill), not across its width. For example, 'The road has a good camber so water runs off,' but 'The gradient of that hill is one in ten.' If someone says 'the crown of the road,' they are talking about the highest point; 'camber' covers the entire cross-section shape.

camber ↗crown ↗slope ↗gradient ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • camber angle
  • positive camber
  • negative camber
  • road camber
  • camber check

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'camber' entered English in the 1500s from Old French 'cambre' (meaning 'curved'), which came from Latin 'camerare' ('to arch'), related to 'camera' ('a vaulted room'). The sense of a curved road surface developed in the 1700s as road-building techniques improved. The automotive wheel-angle meaning appeared in the early 1900s alongside the rise of the automobile.

First known use

1627

1627, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense Noun