: a spike, wedge, or peg that is driven into a rock or ice surface as a support (as for a mountain climber)
Examples of piton in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The four climbers were on the same piton, an anchor in the rock used by climbers, that had been left behind by previous mountaineers, the outlet reported.
—
Sam Gillette, People.com, 16 May 2025
Rodriguez added that when rappelling, all four men would not have be hanging from the one piton at the same time, but taking turns moving down the mountain.
—CBS News, 14 May 2025
Investigators are determining whether the anchor was newly placed by the climbers or was an existing piton left from previous ascents.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
In the catalogue, Yvon Chouinard took his industry to task for the environmental damage of rock climbing and copped to his own culpability, as a purveyor of steel pitons.
—Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024
Climbing tools — ice axes, crampons, ice screws, pitons and so on — are stronger and lighter than ever.
—John Branch, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2023
But the recent announcement by UNESCO that the Mount Pelée volcano, its rain forests and the dense area that surrounds the lava pitons in the north have been added to the World Heritage List may shine new light on the northern region.
—Sylvie Bigar, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
Among the historic ones are Bong Eater (named for the large pitons that make a bonging sound when hammered into the rock), Sail Face, Valentine Crack and The Coffin.
—Julie Jag, The Salt Lake Tribune, 4 Aug. 2023
Demand for Chouinard’s equipment grew, but making pitons was labor-intensive and expensive.
—Alana Semuels, Time, 23 Sep. 2019
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Sam Gillette, People.com, 16 May 2025
Rodriguez added that when rappelling, all four men would not have be hanging from the one piton at the same time, but taking turns moving down the mountain.
—CBS News, 14 May 2025
Investigators are determining whether the anchor was newly placed by the climbers or was an existing piton left from previous ascents.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
In the catalogue, Yvon Chouinard took his industry to task for the environmental damage of rock climbing and copped to his own culpability, as a purveyor of steel pitons.
—Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024
Climbing tools — ice axes, crampons, ice screws, pitons and so on — are stronger and lighter than ever.
—John Branch, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2023
But the recent announcement by UNESCO that the Mount Pelée volcano, its rain forests and the dense area that surrounds the lava pitons in the north have been added to the World Heritage List may shine new light on the northern region.
—Sylvie Bigar, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
Among the historic ones are Bong Eater (named for the large pitons that make a bonging sound when hammered into the rock), Sail Face, Valentine Crack and The Coffin.
—Julie Jag, The Salt Lake Tribune, 4 Aug. 2023
Demand for Chouinard’s equipment grew, but making pitons was labor-intensive and expensive.
—Alana Semuels, Time, 23 Sep. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Piton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/piton. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
piton
noun
pi·ton
ˈpē-ˌtän 
: a spike or peg that is driven into a rock or ice surface for support (as for a mountain climber)
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