alpinism

noun

al·​pin·​ism ˈal-pə-ˌni-zəm How to pronounce alpinism (audio)
often capitalized
: mountain climbing in the Alps or other high mountains

Examples of alpinism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web After studying philosophy, Graber moved to the Eastern Sierra and began ascending the ranks in alpinism. Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2024 What’s your response to the criticism that chasing speed records on these mountains isn’t true alpinism? Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 6 Dec. 2022 Nelson’s ability to continue pursuing a high-stakes career in alpinism even after becoming a parent was one of her many indelible legacies. Gregory Scruggs, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Sep. 2022 Inside, the concrete structure contains exhibits devoted to traditional alpinism, and is meant to give the mountain a lease of life in the summer months, when tourism drops from the peaks of the winter skiing season. CNN, 17 July 2022 Leclerc pushed the cutting edge of alpinism by soloing increasingly ambitious alpine lines with only an ice ax and a pack, both captivating and terrifying the climbing world. The Editors, Outside Online, 23 Dec. 2021 That range is good for any outdoor activity in any season, except for glacier travel and high-altitude alpinism. Matt Jancer, Wired, 20 Nov. 2021 Part of the reason Leclerc had been able to stay relatively under the radar, the filmmakers said, was because of the mysterious nature of alpinism. Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2021 Land on the flanks of Mount Everest itself—and then, with no experience of alpinism and no business among the towering seracs and screaming winds of that incomparable massif, attempt to become the first person in history to climb... Michael O’Donnell, WSJ, 13 Nov. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'alpinism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of alpinism was in 1871

Dictionary Entries Near alpinism

Cite this Entry

“Alpinism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alpinism. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

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