alpinist
Americannoun
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a mountain climber, especially in the Alps.
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a downhill skier, especially one engaging in competitive slalom and downhill events.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of alpinist
From the French word alpiniste, dating back to 1880–85. See alpine, -ist
Explanation
If you're a serious mountain climber, you can call yourself an alpinist. A leisurely hike won't earn you the title of alpinist. Climbing Mount Everest? That's another story. As opposed to a casual climber of relatively low-altitude mountains, an alpinist is extremely serious about his or her climbing. If your sister is an alpinist, she probably sets her sights on extremely high mountains, like those in the Andes, the Himalayas, or the Alps. In fact, the Alps, which lie within the boundaries of Europe, are the inspiration for the word alpinist, which specifies a climber of high, long-ranging, and ice-covered mountain ranges like the Alps themselves.
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.
But packing too light "opens you up to risk," says editor of Alpinist magazine, Derek Franz.
From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026
Dec. 2 "The Alpinist" "Coyotes" "Escalona" Season 1 "The Whole Truth"
From Salon • Dec. 4, 2021
She corresponded with the only hoaxer still living — Post, a Vashon Island resident — and wrote an essay for Alpinist.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 3, 2021
According to Keen, it transformed the British sporting landscape from one in which only the occasional "Alpinist" could succeed to one where there was an ongoing support structure.
From The Guardian • Jul. 24, 2012
He made two steps in the direction of the new-comer, looked at him provocatively, and so fiercely that the worthy Alpinist, without demanding an explanation, made a prudent and judicious half-turn to the right.
From Tartarin On The Alps by Wormeley, Katharine Prescott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
