alpinist

noun

al·pin·ist | \ ˈal-pə-nist

variants: or Alpinist

plural alpinists or Alpinists

Definition of alpinist

1 : a mountain climber specializing in high, difficult ascents In the world of alpinists Mr. Lowe was a celebrity, tackling routes that seemed impossible to other climbers and with as little equipment as he could.— Daniel E. Slotnik … on the top of the fifth highest mountain in the continental U.S., one on which alpinists practice before heading for the Andes and Himalayas …— Paul Clark

2 : an Alpine skier (see alpine sense 4) To the dedicated alpinist, cross-country skiing is an amateurish parody of the real art. — Time As for the women, the only American Alpinist with a shot at a medal is 20-year-old Cindy Nelson in the downhill.— Peter Bonventre