n.
Variant: also cam · ass
Pronunciation: ' ka-m ə s
or qua · mash \ ' kwä-mish \
Function: noun
Etymology: Nez Percé qém'es, qém'e š
Date: 1805
: any of a genus ( Camassia and especially C. quamash ) of plants of the lily family chiefly of the western U.S. with edible bulbs ― compare DEATH CAMAS