Dictionary

A
Abseil, to

Descending by sliding down a rope. Americans usually call this rappelling.
(d) Abseilen, (f) Descendre en rappel, (nl) Afdalen/abseilen, (i) Doppia, fare una doppia, (e) Rapelar / descenso en rappel, (s) fira, (pl) Zjazd na linie

Adze

The flat cutting end of the ice axe head.
(pl) Lpatka czekana

Aid climbing

Moving up a rock using fixed or placed protecting as a means of progression (and not just for protection). Also known in the US as sixth class climbing.
(d) Technisch klettern, (f) Escalade artificielle, (nl) Artificieel klimmen, (i) Arrampicata artificiale, (e) Escalada artificial, (s) Teknisk klättring / Artificiell klättring, (pl) Hakowka

Aider

Webbing ladder used for aid climbing. The word was probably coined by someone who couldn't spell the french word étrier.
(d) Leiter, (f) Étrier, (nl) Ladder, (i) Staffa, (e) Estribo, (s) Stegar, (pl) Laweczka podciagowa

Aid route

Route that can only be ascended using aid climbing techniques
(d) Techno-route, (f) Voie d'artif, (i) Via in artificiale, (e) Ruta artificial

Alcove

A belay ledge that is surrounded by vertical rock on all sides.
(pl) Nyza

Alpine butterfly

Butterfly knot.

AMS

Acute mountain sickness. (Ask your medical doctor.)
(pl) Ostra choroba gorska

Anchor

Point where the rope is fixed to the rock.
(d) Fixpunkt/Verankerung, (f) Point d'assurage, (f-c) Point d'ancrage, (nl) Zekeringspunt, (i) Ancoraggio, (e) Anclaje / Punto de seguro, (s) Ankare / Förankring, (pl) Punkt asekuracyjny

Arete

A narrow (more or less - but often more less than more - horizontal) ridge.
(d) Grat, (f) arête, (nl) graat, (i) cresta, (e) cresta / cuchilla, (pl) grzebien, (sl) hreben

Ascenders

Devices (e.g. Jumars) to ascend a rope.
(d) Steigklemmen, (f) Jumars / Poignées ascensionnelles, (nl) Stijgklemmen, (i) Maniglie/Ascensori, (e) Ascensores / Jumars, (s) Repklämmor, (pl) Zacisk

ATC

'Air Traffic Controller', belaying device made by Black Diamond.

Avalanche

Lots of snow or ice sliding down a mountain.
(d) Lawine, (f) Avalanche, (nl) Lawine, (i) Valanga, (e) Avalancha, (s) Lavin, (pl) Lawina

B

Bail, to

To give up on a rock climb or a summit attempt because of bad weather coming in.

Barn door, to

To lose the foot and hand holds on one side of the body. Usually causes the climber to swing like a barn door.

(f) partir en drapeau

Base camp

The lowest and largest fixed camp on a major ascent (or multiple ascents in the same area).
(d) Basislager, (f) Camp de base, (nl) Basiskamp, (i) Campo base, (e) Campamento base, (s) Basläger, (pl) Obozowisko

Beer

Liquid consumed in large quantities after climbing.
(d) Bier, (f) bière / mousse, (f-c) broue, (nl) bier / pintje, (i) birra, (e) cerveza, (s) öl, (pl) piwo, (sl) piwo

Belay, to

To secure a climber.
(d) Sichern, (f) Assurer , (nl) Zekeren, (i) Assicurare, (e) Asegurar / Dar seguridad, (s) Säkra, (pl) Ubezpieczac

Belay Betty and Belay Bob

The girl or boyfriend of an addictive rock climber.

(d) Sicherungsmaschine

Belay station

A safe stance consisting of an anchor, a rope, and a belayer (aka "the belay")
(d) Standplatz, (f) Relais, (nl) Standplaats, (i) Sosta, (e) Punto de encuentro, Reunión, (s) Standplats, (pl) Stanowisko

Belayer

The person at the belay station securing the climber.
(d) Sicherungsmann/frau, (f) Assureur, (nl) Zekeraar, (i) Assicuratore/trice, (e) Asegurador, (s) Säkringsman, (pl) Asekurant

"Belay on"

When the belayer is ready to belay the climber up, he yells "Belay on". (At least in the US, "belay on" would only confuse the hell out of a British climber who prefers to hear "Climb when ready").
(d) "nachkommen", (f) "quand tu veux", (f-c) "assuré", (nl) "nakomen", (i) "puoi venire", (e) "sube" / "vienes", (s) "säkring klar", (pl) "asekuracja gotowa" / “asekuruje”

"Below"

Used in Britain to warn for impending impact with objects coming from above (e.g. falling rock). "Rock" in the US.
(d) "Stein", (f) "Caillou" ("Pierre" is a common French name and might cause confusion with those individuals that respond to that name), (f-c) "Roche", (i) "Sasso", (e) "Piedra", (s) "Sten"

Bent gate karibiner

Karibiner with the gate bent to accept the rope more easily. Not uncontroversial.
(d) Bananenkarabiner, (f) Mousqueton à doigt incurvé, (i) Moschettone a barra ricurva, (e) Mosquetón express, (s) Karbin med böjd grind, (pl) Karabinek z lekko otwierajacym sie zamkiem

(d) "Berg Heil !"

A German greeting at the summit.

Bergschrund

Or just 'schrund'. The top crevasse in a glacier or snowfield that is formed when the glacier/snowfield tears away from the remaining patch of snow that is stable on the mountainside.
(d) Bergschrund, (f) Rimaye

Beta

Insider information about a climb. Running or auto beta is someone telling you how to do the moves as you go (as in "can you please shut up with that running beta, I want to find out myself").
(d) Informationen vor dem Start, (f) Description de la voie, (i) Informazioni

Beta flash

Leading a climb with no falling or dogging, but with a piece of previous knowledge hints on how to do those crux moves. Even seeing someone do the climb already classifies as 'previous knowledge'.
(d) Flash mit Ansage, (f) Flash

Big wall

Rock climb that is so long and sustained that a normal ascent lasts several days.
(d) Big Wall, (f) Grande paroi / grande falaise, (f-c) Grand mur, (e) Gran Pared, (s) Storöägg / Bigwall

Biner

Short for Karabiner
(d) Kara, (f) Mousquif / Moustif, (e) Mosquete / Mosquetón, (s) Karbin, (pl) Karabinek

Birdbeak

A tiny hooked piton manufactured by A5. It is similar to the old Chouinard "Crack'n up", except that it only has a single side and that it is intended to be hammered in if necessary.
(pl) Rodzaj skajhuka

Bivouac

Or short, bivi. An uncomfortable sleeping place in the middle of a route.
(d) Biwak, (f) Bivouac, (nl) Bivak, (i) Bivacco, (e) Bivac, (s) Bivack, (pl) Biwak

Black ice

Old ice that was exposed to extremely cold temperatures, scree, and snowfall. Usually found deep in shady couloirs, or on steep north faces. Very hard and dense ice that is difficult to climb.
(f) Glace noire, (pl) Czarny lod

Blast, to

To begin a big wall, after the line fixing is done. "We're gonna blast on Tuesday morning after we get the first three pitches fixed".

(f) Bleausard

Someone who frequents 'Bleau (or Fontainebleau, the site of some excellent bouldering near Paris).

Blue ice

Very dense ice with a watery hue and few air bubbles.

Bolt

(d) Bohrhaken, (f) spit / scellement, (i) spit, (e) spits / bolt, (s) bult, (pl) spit

Bolt, expansion

(d) Bohrhaken, (f) Cheville à expansion, (nl) Boorhaak, (i) Caviglie da espansione, (e) Piton de expansion, parabolt, (s) Borrbult

Bomber

Used to indicate that something is exceptionally solid, e.g. an anchor, a hold. See also bombproof.
(e) Firme, (s) Kanon

Bombproof

The illusion that an anchor is infallible
(d) Bomben sicher, (f) béton (i) A prova di bomba, (e) A prueba de bomba, (s) Bombsäker

Bonehead

A (novice) climber with more braves than brains. Knows just enough about climbing to get himself and others badly hurt.

Bong

An almost extinct species of extra wide pitons. Now, large chocks are usually used instead.

(f) "Bonne Grimpe !"

A greeting to climbers when they start the climb.

(e) "¡Buena suerte!"

Bootie

Gear (nuts, cams, etc.) that was left behind on a climb by the previous party.

Boulder, to

Climbing unroped on boulders or at the foot of climbs to a height where it is still safe to jump off.
(d) Bouldern (f) Faire du bloc, (nl) Boulderen, (i) Arrampicare su masso, (e) Boulder / Cascarear

Bounce, to

To crater from an extreme height. Usually lethal.
(d) Todessturz, (pl) Obdijac sie skokami przy zjezdie

Bowline

Sailing knot (not to be used for climbing, unless backed up with a second knot)
(d) Bulinknoten/Palstek, (f) Noeud de chaise, (nl) Paalsteek, (i) (Nodo) bulino, (e) Bulín, (s) Pålstek, (pl) Wezel tatrzanski

Brain bucket

Aka helmet. That all important hard shelled thing that covers our (second?) most valuable asset.

Bucket

A large hold (Aka "jug", esp. in UK)
(d) Henkel, (f) Bac/baquet, (nl) bak, (i) Fibbia / Vasca, (e) Asa / gasa, (s) Brevlåda

Buildering

To climb buildings

(d) Fassadenklettern, (f-c) Escalade de ville, (nl) Geveltoerisme, (e) Escalada urbana, (s) Fasadklättring, (pl) Wspinanie po murach

Bust a move, to

To successfully execute a hard crux move.

Butterfly knot

Interesting but rarely used climbing knot. Alpine butterfly
(f-c) Noeud papillon / les oreilles du Micky ??, (e) Nudo de mariposa, (pl) Motylek

Buttress

The part of the mountain or rock that stands in front of the main mountainface.
(d) Vorbau / Pfeiler, (f) Pillier, (i) Pilastro, (e) Espolón, (s) Pelare, (pl) Pochyly filar

C

Cam

Generic reference to the family of spring loaded camming devices (SLCD) such as friends, camalots, aliens, TCUs, etc. Also referred to as springs
(d) Friends, (f) Friends, (e) Levas, (pl) Krzywka

Campus

A dyno executed using the arms only. Comes from the campus board where the people who do this move get the muscle to do it.
(d) Frei hängend

Campus board

A wooden training board with finger ledges that is used for training dynos and finger power.
(d) Hangelbrett, (f) Planche d'entraînement, (e) Tabla de entrenamiento

Carabiner

The alternative American spelling of the word Karabiner. Also spelled Caribiner.

Chalk

Magic powder that makes the hands stick to even the smoothest rock.
(d) Chalk/Magnesia, (f) Magnésie, (nl) Magnesiumpoeder, (i) Magnesia, (e) Magnesio, (s) Krita, (pl) Magnezja

Chausey

Poor rock conditions. Also spelled chossy.

Cheese grater, to

To slide down a slab while scraping the knees, hands, and face.

Chest harness

Bra-like looking harness (to be used with waist harness)
(d) Brustklettergurt, (f) Harnais, (nl) Borstgordel, (i) Cinghia pettorale, (e) Arnés de pecho, (s) Bröstsele, (pl) upzraz piersiowa

Chickenhead

Sometimes phallic shaped, protruding lumps that make excellent hand or footholds on granite, etc.
(d) Zacke / Felsköpfel, (f-c) Banane, (e) Chile / cuerno, (pl) Duzy, owalny wystep skalny

Chimed

Exhausted. "This climb has got me chimed."

Chimney

A wide crack that accommodates (most of) the body of the climber.
(d)Kamin, (f) Cheminée, (nl) Schoorsteen, (i) Camino, (e) Chimenea, (s) Kamin, (pl) Komin

Chimney, to

A climbing technique used to conquer chimneys. Usually requires the use of the back and feet, arms, head and other body parts.
(d) Stemmen, (pl) Zapierac sie w kominie

Chipped hold

A hold created with a hammer and chisel by a moron incapable of doing the climb as it is.
(d) Geschlagener Griff, (f) Prise taillée, (i) Presa scavata, (s) Chippade grepp, (pl) Chwyt 'rzezbiony' dlutem

Chock

Generic reference to the family of passive wired protection devices, also called nuts, stoppers, wires, and rocks.
(f) coinceurs, (e) Nueces

Chockstone

A stone wedged between a crack, a chimney, etc.
(f) Bloc coincé, (s) Kilsten, (pl) Kamien yaklinowany w rysie

Choss

In Australia, this means poor rock (you can take all the holds home...). In the UK, choss is dirt and vegetation found in cracks (or Munge in the US).

Chute

A very steep gully. The word chute is French for fall and refers to the rockfall that is very common in a chute.
(pl) Zleb

Cirque

A deep and steep-walled basin on a mountain usually forming the blunt end of a valley. From the French word for circus. Also known as corrie.

Class

A number designating the overall technical level of a route. The first number in the YDS designates the class of the climb. Here's the different classes...
(e) Clase

Clean

Climbing without falling or dogging.
(f) Enchaicirc;ner (une voie), (e) Escalada limpia

Clean

Aid climbing without hammering.
(e) Limpiar

Clean, to

To remove the pro from a route. Usually done by the follower.
(d) Abbauen / Ausraümen, (pl) Sciagnac asekuracje

Cliff

A vertical piece of rock good for climbing (see also Crag).
(d) Fels, (f) Falaise, (nl) Rots, (i) Falesia, (e) Risco, (s) Klippa, (pl) Skala

Cliffhanger

Not just a silly film with Wolfgang Güllich and Ron Kauk, but also the name for a small hooking device used to aid climb up small ledges and pockets.

Climb, to

(d) Klettern, (f) Grimper, (nl) Klimmen, (i) Arrampicare/scalare, (e) Escalar, (s) Klättra, (pl) Wspinac sie

Climb, a

(d) Kletterei, (f) Escalade, (nl) Klim, (i) Arrampicata , (e) Escalada, (s) Led/Tur

"Climbing"

What the climber shouts after the belayer screams "Belay on".
(d) "Komme", (f) "Départ", (nl) "Ik kom", (i) "parto"/"vengo", (e) "Voy", (s) "Jag klättrar", (pl) "Ide"

Climbing gym

The second best thing to real rock (Aka "wall" in the UK).
(d) Kletterhalle, (f) Mur d'escalade / Salle d'escalade, (nl) Klimzaal/Klimhal, (i) Palestra, (e) Muro artificial de escalada, (s) Inomhusvägg

Climbing shoes

Shoes made of sticky rubber that would have fit you comfortably when you were ten.
(d) Kletterschuhe, (f) Chaussons d'escalade, (nl) Klimschoenen, (i) Scarpe da roccia / scarpette / pedule, (e) Pies de gato / tenis de escalada, (e-argentina) pedulas / zapatillas de escalada, (s) Klätterskor, (pl) Pantofle / buty wspinaczkowe

Climbing wall

The British word for a climbing gym.

"Climb when ready"

The British equivalent of "Belay on".
(f) “Quand tu veux”, (e) "Cuando estés listo", (e-argentina) "veni", (pl) "Mozesz isc"

Clip, to

The reassuring action of putting the rope through a karabiner (that is attached to a piece of pro).
(d) Einhängen, (f) Mousquetonner, (pl) wpiac sie

Clove hitch

A useful, easily adjustable climbing knot usually used to tie the rope into a karibiner.
(d) Mastwurf, (f) Noeud de cabestan, (i) Nodo barcaiolo, (e) Cola de cochino, (s) Dubbelt halvslag, (pl) Wyblinka

Col

A steep, high mountain pass.
(f) Col, (pl) Siodlo

Coombe

Welsh word for corrie or cirque. Also spelled cwm.

Cord

Thin static rope (5, 5.5 or 6 mm)
(d) Reepschnur, (f) Cordelette, (nl) Prusiktouw, (i) Cordino, (e) Cordino / cordeleta, (s) Repsnöre, (pl) Repsznur

Corner

Inside corner (see dihedral) or outside corner. In the UK, a corner is always an inside one.
(f) Dièdre, (i) Diedro, (e) Esquina, (s) Hörn, (pl) Zaciecie

Corn snow

Unconsolidated granular snow that has gone through a short freeze-and-thaw process. This type of snow is prevalent throughout the High Sierra in April and May.
(f) neige de printemps, (pl) snieg kukurydziany

Corrie

Other word for cirque. Spelled coire in Scotland and coombe or cwm in Wales.

Couloir

A steep gully which may have snow or ice.
(f) Couloir, (pl) Kuluar

Crab

Short for Karabiner.

Crack, in rock

A gap or fissure in the rock varying in width from nail to bodywidth.
(d) Riß, (f) Fissure, (nl) (Rots)-spleet, (i) Fessura, (e) Grieta, (s) Spricka, (pl) Rysa

Crag

Name for a (small) climbing area.
(d) Klettergarten, (f) Falaise, (i) Falesia, (s) Klippa, (pl) Skala

Crampons

Very pointy footware use to walk glaciers or climb ice.
(d) Steigeisen, (f) Crampons, (nl) Stijgijzers, (i) Ramponi, (e) Crampones, (s) Stegjärn, (pl) Raki

Crank, to

To pull on a hold as hard as you can, and then some.
(d) Durchziehen, (pl) Wspinac sie w rysach

Crater, to

To fall and hit the ground, as in "I almost cratered".
(f) Se gaufrer/se vautrer/se planter/dévisser, se viander, (s) Kratra, (pl) glebowac

Crest

The very top of a ridge or arete.
(pl) Ostrze grzbietu

Crevasse

A crack in the surface of a glacier.
(d) (Gletscher-)spalte, (f) Crevasse, (nl) (Gletscher-)spleet, (i) Crepaccio, (e) Grieta, (s) Glaciärspricka, (pl) szczelina lodowcowa

Crimper

A very small hold that accepts only the finger tips. In the UK, this is just called a crimp.
(d) Kratzer / Pinchi, (f) Gratton, (i) Tacca, (e) Grieta de dedos

Crux

The hard bit.
(d) Crux/Schlueßelstelle, (f) Le pas/Crux/passage clé, (nl) Sleutelpassage, (i) Passo chiave, (e) Paso clave, (s) Krux, (pl) Najtrudniejszy przechwyt, wyciag na drodze

Cwm

The Welsh spelling for coombe or cirque.

D

Daisy chain

A sling sewn (or tied) with numerous loops, used as an adjustable sling in aid climbing.

Deadpoint

A dynamic move where the next hold is grabbed at the very top of the motion (if you lunge upwards, that is just before you start falling again). By grabbing a hold in its 'deadpoint', you place the smallest possible loads on the holds.
(d) Greifen im toten Punkt, (f) Jeté, (pl) Wspinanie dynamiczne

Death wobbles

The eerie sensation of jittery legs. Aka to Elvis or the sewing machine.

Deck

The usually unfriendly surface that welcomes you at the end of a grounder.

Demigod

Highest form of life in the climbing cosmos. Does not need rock to ascend to great heights.

Descender

Device used for rappelling.
(d) Abseiler, (f) descendeur, (i) discensore, (e) descensor, (s) firningsbroms, (pl) przyjazd zjazdowy

Dihedral

The US term for an inside corner (Aka "open book").
(d)Verschneidung, (f) Dièdre, (nl) Versnijding/hoek, (i) Diedro, (e) Diedro, (s) (Inner-) hörn / Dieder

"Dirt me"

US slang which means as much as 'Lower me'.
(d) "Ablassen" / "Nach"

Dog (to dog a move)

Climbing, lowering, climbing again till a certain move is made (the usual mode of ascent...).
(d) Ausbouldern, (nl) Jo-jo

Double fisherman's knot

Solid knot used to tie two ropes or pieces of webbing together (Aka grapevine knot).
(d) Doppelter Spierenstich, (f) Double noeud de pêcheur, (nl) Dubbele visserssteek, (i) Nodo a contrasto doppio/nodo doppio inglese, (e) Nudo de pescador doble, (s) Dubbel fiskarknop

Double rope

Same as a half rope. Also the technique using two half ropes.
(d) Doppelseil, (f) Corde à double, (i) Corda doppia, (e) Cuerda doble, (s) Dubbelrep

Downclimbing

Descending the difficult way.
(d) Abklettern, (f) Désescalader, (nl) Afklimmen, (i) disarrampicare / Arrampicare in discesa, (e) Destrepar / Desescalar, (s) Nedetklättring

Dry tool, to

To ascend a section of rock using ice tools - very common in mixed climbing.

Dude

Generic name for a climber (in the US).

Dynamic belay

A belay method in which some rope is allowed to slip during severe falls. A dynamic belay can severely reduce the impact force from a serious fall, but can also severely kill you if not done properly.
(d) Dynamische Sicherung, (f) Assurage dynamique, (i) Sicura dinamica / assicurazione dinamica, (e) Seguro dinámico, (s) Dynamisk säkring, (pl) asekuracja dynamiczna

Dyno

Dynamic movement towards a distant hold.
(d) Dynamo, (f) Jeté, (nl) Dynamo, (i) Lancio, (e) Movimiento dinámico, (s) Dynamisk move

More Terms about climbing