carabiner
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What does carabiner mean? A carabiner is a closed hook used to secure ropes, especially in mountain climbing. Carabiners consist of a D-shaped metal frame, about the size of your palm, with one side that opens using a spring-loaded mechanism called a springlock. Carabiners are used to easily clip ropes to harnesses or other hooks, such as in mountaineering. Example: Before you start climbing, make sure you connect your carabiner to your harness and rope.
Etymology
Origin of carabiner
1915–20; < Austrian German Karabiner, shortening of German Karabinerhaken carbine hook, equivalent to Karabiner (< French carabine carbine + German -er -er 1 ) + Haken hook 1; it was originally used to fasten carbines to bandoleers
Explanation
A carabiner is a common piece of mountain climbing equipment, a metal clip that allows climbers to link together ropes and harnesses. If you're learning to rock climb, you'll most likely use a carabiner. Carabiners are vital for climbers and mountaineers to keep various pieces of equipment connected to each other, and thus to keep themselves safe while they're climbing. A carabiner can take various forms and shapes, but it's usually a metal oval, with a spring-loaded clip that stays closed unless it's pushed open. Say the word carabiner with an emphasis on the bin syllable, but pronounce it like bean.
Vocabulary lists containing carabiner
The Canyon's Edge
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All Thirteen
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The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling
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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.
Nuataaq makes a carabiner water bottle that keeps your water cold for 40 hours and coffee hot for 20 hours, and is completely spill-proof.
From Salon ● Nov. 20, 2025
This is the skirt that took fashion by storm two years ago, and by now it’s more than official: A Chopova Lowena carabiner skirt never goes out of style.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 8, 2024
He hooked a set of shears to a carabiner and snapped the carabiner over the workline and watched the shears slide into the sea.
From New York Times ● Oct. 14, 2022
For the performances, Pearl will be securely fastened to a harness with a carabiner for extra protection.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 28, 2022
He snaps a compass off a carabiner, shows me how to use it.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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.
