Meaning & use
Camelot
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Meanings
proper nounproperliterary
The legendary castle and royal court where King Arthur lived with his knights.
Grammar: Always capitalized and used with singular verbs; usually with the or a possessive: the glory of Camelot.
Patterns
- the legend of Camelot
- King Arthur's Camelot
- the knights of Camelot
According to legend, King Arthur ruled wisely from Camelot.
Tourists visit the ruined castle that some guides call the real Camelot.
nounusually singularfigurative
A place or short period remembered as an ideal, glamorous time that has been lost.
Grammar: Usually singular; often follows an or a possessive: a modern Camelot, their Camelot.
Patterns
- a modern Camelot
- remember something as Camelot
- a new Camelot
Older fans remember the band's early years as a kind of Camelot.
The documentary portrays the administration's first year as Camelot, full of promise.
Common combinations
- the legend of Camelot
- The legend of Camelot has inspired films for over a century.
- King Arthur's Camelot
- The exhibition reimagines King Arthur's Camelot in gold and silver.
- a new Camelot
- Reporters wrote eagerly of a new Camelot in the capital.
Synonyms and how they differ
- golden age
- A golden age is a period of great success or happiness; Camelot can name a place as well as a period and keeps its Arthurian glamour.
Word family
- Arthurian adjective
- Relating to the legends of King Arthur and his knights.
Practice
Commentators often describe the leader's early years in power as ___, a short period of hope and glamour that could not last.
Choose one answer.
Camelot is the standard figurative name for an idealized golden age. Babylon suggests corruption and excess, Bedlam chaos, and Bethlehem is a religious place name.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Camelot”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.