a camel is a horse designed by a committee

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Also seen as: a camel is a horse made by a committee · a camel is a horse made by committee

Meaning · English

Too many people on one project can spoil it by having conflicting or inexperienced ideas.

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

A camel is a horse designed by a committee, so we hope that this committee will—and I think it will—function appropriately.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “a camel is a horse designed by a committee” mean?

Too many people on one project can spoil it by having conflicting or inexperienced ideas.

Is “a camel is a horse designed by a committee” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.