mountaineering

American  

[moun-tn-eer-ing] / ˌmaʊn tnˈɪər ɪŋ /

noun

1. the sport of climbing mountains.

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Etymology

Origin of mountaineering

First recorded in 1795–1805; mountaineer + -ing ¹

Explanation

Mountaineering is another word for the sport of mountain climbing. If high altitudes and low temperatures are your thing, you should take up mountaineering. Climbing in snowy and ice-covered places requires special equipment and extreme care, watching out for dangers like falling ice and rocks, storms, and avalanches. In some parts of the world, mountaineering is called "alpinism." Originally, the noun mountaineer was a seventeenth century word for "mountain dweller." Two hundred years later, it came to mean "mountain climber."

Example Sentences

Members of the co-op mainly bought mountaineering equipment imported from Europe.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

In mountaineering, Whittaker was closely involved in more high-profile ventures.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

They withstood snowstorms in Livigno, cheered the debut of ski mountaineering in Bormio and held their breath while multiple skiers got airlifted off the downhill course in Cortina.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2026

Georgia earned their first Winter Olympic medal with silver in pairs figure skating, while Spain collected their first gold medal for 54 years in the men's ski mountaineering.

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026

The five men were walking single file, which was smart, but they weren’t using a rope—a serious violation of mountaineering protocol.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

Related Words

• hiking