crampon

noun

cram·​pon ˈkram-ˌpän 

1

: a hooked clutch or dog for raising heavy objects

—usually used in plural

2

: a climbing iron used especially on ice and snow in mountaineering

—usually used in plural

Illustration of crampon

• crampon 2

Examples of crampon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The guide showed us Lord Mallory’s diaries and some crampons that belonged to Graham Greene’s brother. —Sadie Stein, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025

But if the technical challenges are going to include glacier travel or ice climbing then ice axes/tools, crampons, mountaineering boots, and protective sunglasses will go into the kit. —Sean McNally, Outdoor Life, 13 Mar. 2025

Otherwise, don your cross-country skis, snowshoes or boots (with crampons) and enjoy cruising or ambling along the almost seven-mile Lac-Brome Path that’s lined in places with a variety of trees such as fir, larch, white cedar and sugar maple. —Jeanine Barone, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025

The web of stretchable rubber embedded with metal or plastic studs straps to the bottom of shoes to keep the wearer from slipping and falling on slick pavement, a milder version of ice-climbing crampons. —Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French crampon, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch crampe

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for crampon

• tampon

Kids Definition

crampon

noun

cram·​pon ˈkram-ˌpän 

: a set of steel spikes that fit on the bottom of a climbing boot to give a better grip on slopes of hard ice or snow

—usually used in plural