climber
Americannoun
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climbers
plural
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a person or thing that climbs.
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a climbing plant.
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a device to assist in climbing, as a climbing iron.
noun
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a person or thing that climbs
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a plant that lacks rigidity and grows upwards by twining, scrambling, or clinging with tendrils and suckers
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short for social climber
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of climber
late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at climb, -er 1
Explanation
A climber is a person who hikes up steep, rocky mountains and hills. If you want to be a mountain climber, you should start with small ones before tackling Mount Everest. Climbers pull themselves up the steep, craggy sides of mountains or practice on rock walls at the gym. A person who aspires to belong to a fancier social group is another kind of climber: "He's hanging out with the rich kids again — I didn't realize he was such a climber." When you're talking about plants, a climber is anything vine-like that grows up structures: "That rose is a climber. It'll cover your fence by the end of the summer."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Chin looks to his own experience as a climber for proof that small problems add up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
An injured climber crawled down a portion of Mt.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
The recently released footage shows a helicopter hovering mere feet from a cliff face in the Sierra Nevada mountains in the US state of California while a rescue team secures an injured climber.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
But it is stage vet Carrie Coon who has the most provocative role: that of nimble social climber Bertha Russell, whose ambition knows no limits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
"I am told you were quite the climber, Bran," the little man said at last.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
The highly technical products are designed for climbers, but the rapid brand growth has also been fueled by “gorpcore,” a fashion trend where technical gear is worn as high-end streetwear.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
At least 10 Nepalese climbers who were preparing to lead an expedition in the Himalayas are missing after an avalanche hit a base camp on Sunday morning.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
Officials in Yamanashi and neighbouring Shizuoka prefecture, which governs the southern part of Fuji, have seen a rise in off-season and unplanned climbs, some of which have left climbers stranded.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
The climbers who'd been heading up K2 with Mingma G were unsettled, he says, and facing pressure from their families to go home.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
“After some discussion we decided to bury him in a crevasse,” wrote Charles Warren, one of the climbers who’d found the corpse.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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