orbiteer

[ awr-bi-teer ]

verb (used with object)

1. to climb (a mountain) in a circular fashion as opposed to scaling.

verb (used without object)

1. to climb a mountain in this way.

Other Words From

• orbi·teering noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of orbiteer¹

First recorded in 1985–90; orbit ( def ) (in the sense “move in an orbital or elliptical path”) + -eer ( def ); possibly coined by Edward “Ned” Gillette (1945-98), U.S. mountaineer, skier, and author