The present participle of 'caam,' an archaic term meaning to bask in the sun or sit contentedly in warmth.
From Middle English and Old English roots related to warmth and comfort; possibly connected to Latin 'calidus' meaning hot. The word fell out of common use but persists in dialectal British English.
This delightfully obsolete word perfectly captures that specific pleasure of sunbathing—something cats do instinctively but humans had a whole verb for in medieval times! It's the kind of word that should make a comeback, especially on the first warm day of spring.
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