- present participle of mountaineer.
mountaineering
Americannoun
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Kili Pemba, 46, had just earned the coveted mountaineering Grand Slam after completing his last of the 14 highest peaks, also known as eight-thousanders, in early July.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
It is certainly true that tennis requires discipline and sacrifice, but is this country-club sport really more intense than, say, distance running, mountaineering or solo sailing?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
His death has sent shockwaves through the global mountaineering community and through Nepal, where he is a celebrated figure for giving a spotlight to Nepali climbing guides.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
The avalanche has sparked an outpouring of shock in the mountaineering community, especially in Nepal, and leaders including Britain's Prince William have expressed condolences to the families of the climbers.
From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026
Upon Messner’s return to civilization, his ascent was widely lauded as the greatest mountaineering feat of all time.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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.
