/ ˈkæməflɑːʒ; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ U ] a way of hiding soldiers and military equipment, using paint, leaves or nets, so that they look like part of their surroundings :
a camouflage jacket (= covered with green and brown marks and worn by soldiers)
troops dressed in camouflage
2.
[ U , sing. ] the way in which an animal's colour or shape matches its surroundings and makes it difficult to see
3.
[ U , sing. ] behaviour that is deliberately meant to hide the truth :
Her angry words were camouflage for the way she felt.
■ verb
[ vn ] camouflage sth (with sth) to hide sb/sth by making them or it look like the things around, or like sth else :
The soldiers camouflaged themselves with leaves.
Her size was camouflaged by the long loose dress she wore.
➡ note at hide
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WORD ORIGIN
First World War: from French , from camoufler to disguise (originally thieves' slang), from Italian camuffare disguise, deceive, perhaps by association with French camouflet whiff of smoke in the face.