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

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

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

"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

Battling over the icy slopes in crampons, they reached the summit in "very tough conditions" during a blizzard.

From BBC ● Nov. 24, 2025

In the winter, only a small number of serious climbers attempt the expedition and are typically armed with crampons, ice axes and avalanche safety training, he explained.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2024

He said it was immediately clear they needed crampons for the ice and fierce wind.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 20, 2024

So it came to pass that at 4:45 a.m. on Saturday, April 13, I found myself at the foot of the fabled Icefall, strapping on my crampons in the frigid predawn gloom.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer