climber

noun

climb·​er ˈklī-mər 

plural climbers

1

a

: a person or animal that climbs

a tree climber

a bicyclist who's an excellent climber

a mountain climber

We also teach how to handle a rope and how to belay another climber to protect them if they fall.

—Lou Whittaker

see also rock climber

b

: a climbing plant

ivy and other climbers

Owing to their size and abundance, climbing plants, especially the large woody climbers or lianes, are one of the most impressive features of the Tropical Rain forest.

—P. W. Richards

2

: social climber

Examples of climber in a Sentence

Chimpanzees are excellent climbers and spend a lot of their lives in trees.

climbers like clematis and ivy

Recent Examples on the Web

Now, Vingegaard is still the second-best climber in the world — the reigning champion of both the Vuelta a España and Giro d’Italia — but the 29-year-old has always been open about the impact of cycling on his wider life. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 21 July 2026

The region, which is largely located inside Daniel Boone National Forest, has attracted rock climbers for decades. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 21 July 2026

Having achieved their goal, Muñiz-Ochoa, Atkinson and two other climbers who followed them slid down the ropes to solid ground. — Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026

Strangers took the hands of weary climbers to help guide them to the top. — John Blake, CNN Money, 19 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing climber

• social climber
• stair-climber

Rhymes for climber

• dimer
• eimer
• primer
• rhymer
• timer
• alzheimer
• heterodimer