crampon

American  

[kram-pon] / ˈkræm pɒn /

Also crampoon

noun

crampons plural

1. a spiked iron plate worn on boots or shoes for aid in climbing or to prevent slipping on ice, snow, etc.

2. a device for grasping and lifting heavy loads, usually consisting of a pair of hooks suspended from a chain or cable, the upward pull on which provides tension for the hooks to grip the load on opposite sides.

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crampon British  

/ ˈkræmpən /

noun

1. one of a pair of pivoted steel levers used to lift heavy objects; grappling iron

2. (often plural) one of a pair of frames each with 10 or 12 metal spikes, strapped to boots for climbing or walking on ice or snow

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verb

1. to climb using crampons

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• crampons
  plural

Etymology

Origin of crampon

1275–1325; Middle English cra ( u ) mpon < Old French crampon < Old Low Franconian *krampo, cognate with Old High German krampfo, Middle Dutch crampe; see cramp ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

crampon crampons

Chris Haugen realized he lost his crampon — a glacial traction device climbers attach to their shoes — and scrambled down to retrieve it after climbers below said they saw the missing footwear.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 29, 2023

Standing on its tip, my crampon points biting into a rim of blue ice, I feel as though I’ve been swallowed by the sky.

From National Geographic ● Jul. 14, 2015

Standing there, afraid to move any closer to the edge, I noticed a single set of faint crampon tracks leading past me toward the abyss.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

Fifteen minutes of dicey, fatiguing crampon work brought me safely to the bottom of the incline, where I easily located my pack, and another ten minutes after that I was in camp myself.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

Barely breathing now, I moved my feet up, scrabbling my crampon points across the verglas.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

This includes not having suitable clothing and equipment, like crampons and an ice axe, not checking and fully understanding the weather forecast, like which wind speeds are too strong, and not navigating properly, he says.

From BBC ● Feb. 28, 2026

"I've already fallen about 10 times for sure," said Italian student Francesca Veronese, who told AFP she was considering buying crampons because navigating Berlin footpaths had become "very, very dangerous".

From Barron's ● Feb. 5, 2026

Some hardy spectators watched all day, including one family that wore crampons for traction.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 13, 2024

As climbers chop into the ice with their tools and crampons, frozen debris rains below.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 23, 2024

By the time I loaded my backpack and strapped on my crampons, most of the rest of Hall’s group was already ascending the ropes toward Camp Four.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer