climber

B1 Topic:People & Society

US /ˈklaɪmɚ/ UK /ˈklaɪmə/ See IPA manual

Freq #20102

Meanings

1

noun
A person who climbs mountains or rocks, often as a sport.

The climbers reached the summit just before nightfall.
2

noun
A plant that grows upward by gripping a wall, fence, or other support.

Ivy and other climbers covered the old garden wall.
3

noun
A person who tries to gain a higher social position through flattery.

Everyone saw him as an ambitious social climber.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

3 noun · a person who tries to gain... social climber

Word family

Forms climbers

Derived forms hillclimberstairclimber

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

mountain climber
a person who climbs mountains as a sport or activity

Noun + noun

Etymology

From Middle English clymbere, clymber (“one who climbs, climber”), from climben (“to climb; to ascend, fly upward, rise; to slope upwards; to approach God in prayer; to advance; to overcome, triumph; to aspire; to be presumptuous”) + -er, -ere (suffix forming agent nouns). The English word is analysable as climb (verb) + -er (suffix forming agent nouns).

clymbere Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

People & Society Gardening & Horticulture

External links

# climber

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈklaɪmɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈklaɪmə/
**Frequency rank:** 20102

## Meanings
1. A person who climbs mountains or rocks, often as a sport.
2. A plant that grows upward by gripping a wall, fence, or other support.
3. A person who tries to gain a higher social position through flattery.

## Examples
- The climbers reached the summit just before nightfall.
- Ivy and other climbers covered the old garden wall.
- Everyone saw him as an ambitious social climber.

## Derived Forms
- hillclimber
- stairclimber

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: clymbere

## Etymology
From Middle English clymbere, clymber (“one who climbs, climber”), from climben (“to climb; to ascend, fly upward, rise; to slope upwards; to approach God in prayer; to advance; to overcome, triumph; to aspire; to be presumptuous”) + -er, -ere (suffix forming agent nouns). The English word is analysable as climb (verb) + -er (suffix forming agent nouns).

## AI Etymology
climber is a noun and verb. It is from Middle English clymbere, clymber (“one who climbs, climber”), from climben (“to climb; to ascend, fly upward, rise; to slope upwards; to approach God in prayer; to advance; to overcome, triumph; to aspire; to be presumptuous”) + -er, -ere (suffix forming agent nouns). The English word is analysable as climb (verb) + -er (suffix forming agent nouns). Historical forms in the chain include clymbere (Middle English). Current senses include a person who climbs mountains or rocks, often as a sport, a plant that grows upward by gripping a wall, fence, or other support, and a person who tries to gain a higher social position through flattery. Derived forms include hillclimber and stairclimber.

## Topics
- People & Society
- Gardening & Horticulture

markdown