48 rock climbing terms defined, from beta, crux and crimp to dyno, whipper and on-sight, each explained in a single line.
If you’re curious about the origins of rock climbing, check out our article on who invented rock climbing.
Rock climbing terminology is worth learning before you tie in, because half of it is safety language and the other half is how climbers describe moves to each other. The words associated with rock climbing gear are exact, the words related to rock climbing style are opinionated, and the climbing slang in between is what you will hear at the gym. The rock climbing glossary near the end of the page holds all three kinds.
Must-Know Rock Climbing Terms, Phrases and Slang:
- Anchor
- Belay
- Carabiner
- Chalk
- Dyno
- Edge
- Flake
- GriGri
- Harness
- Jam
- Knot
- Lead climbing
- Mantle
- Nut
- On-sight
- Pitch
- Quickdraw
- Rappel
- Redpoint
- Rope
- Route
- Send
- Smear
- Top rope
- Traverse
- Undercling
- V0-V16 (bouldering grades)
- Whipper
- Yosemite Decimal System
- Z-clip
Rock Climbing Glossary: Every Term A to Z
| Term | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Anchor | The secure point at the top of a climb or belay station that the rope system hangs on. It can be bolts, gear or a solid natural feature. |
| Belay | Managing the rope so a falling climber is caught. The belayer feeds slack, takes it in and locks off through a belay device. |
| Belayer | The person holding the other end of the rope and controlling it. On a climbing wall they are the one standing at the bottom. |
| Beta | Information about how a route is climbed, from the sequence of moves to where to rest. |
| Bouldering | Climbing short, hard problems close to the ground without a rope, protected by pads and a spotter. |
| Cam | A spring-loaded device that expands into a crack to hold a fall. Placed and removed by the climber. |
| Carabiner | The metal snap link with a spring gate that connects everything in the safety chain. |
| Chalk | Magnesium carbonate used to dry the hands and improve grip, carried in a bag at the waist. |
| Crash pad | The thick foam mat laid under a boulder problem to take the landing. |
| Crimp | A small edge held with the fingertips, and the grip position used to hold it. |
| Crux | The hardest section of a route, the part that decides whether the climb goes. |
| Dyno | A dynamic move where the climber jumps for the next hold and is briefly off the wall entirely. |
| Edge | Standing on a small ledge with the edge of the shoe rather than the whole sole. |
| Flake | A thin sheet of rock partly detached from the wall. It can be a hold or a warning, depending on how solid it is. |
| Flash | Climbing a route cleanly on the first attempt, having already been told how to do it. |
| Free solo | Climbing without a rope or protection of any kind. A fall is not survivable, which is why it stays a tiny corner of the sport. |
| GriGri | An assisted braking belay device made by Petzl that clamps the rope when it is pulled suddenly. |
| Harness | The waist and leg loops the climber wears, the attachment point for the rope and the belay device. |
| Heel hook | Placing the heel on a hold and pulling with the leg, which turns the foot into a third hand. |
| Jam | Wedging a hand, fist or foot into a crack and twisting so it locks in place. |
| Jug | A large, positive hold you can wrap a whole hand around. The most welcome thing on a route. |
| Knot | A tie in the rope or sling. The figure eight follow through is the standard knot for tying into a harness. |
| Lead climbing | Climbing from the ground up with the rope trailing, clipping into protection along the way. Falls are longer than on top rope. |
| Mantle | Pressing down on a ledge with the palms to push the body up over it, like getting out of a pool. |
| Nut | A metal wedge on a wire that is slotted into a constriction in a crack as passive protection. |
| On-sight | Climbing a route first try with no prior information at all, only what can be read from the ground. |
| Overhang | Terrain steeper than vertical, where the climber's weight hangs off the arms. |
| Pitch | One section of a climb between two belay stations, at most one rope length long. |
| Project | A route a climber works on over many sessions before finally sending it. |
| Quickdraw | Two carabiners joined by a short sling, used to clip the rope to a bolt while leading. |
| Rappel | Descending a fixed rope under control through a device. British climbers call it abseiling. |
| Redpoint | Climbing a route cleanly from bottom to top after having practiced it before. |
| Roof | A section of rock that runs horizontally overhead. The hardest kind of overhang. |
| Rope | The lifeline. Dynamic ropes stretch to soften a fall, static ropes do not and are used for fixed lines and hauling. |
| Route | A defined line up a wall with its own moves and its own grade. |
| Send | To climb a route or problem successfully without falling or resting on gear. |
| Sloper | A rounded hold with no edge, held by open-handed friction and body position alone. |
| Smear | Pressing the sole of the shoe flat against blank rock and trusting friction instead of a foothold. |
| Sport climbing | Roped climbing on routes with permanent bolts already in place. |
| Spotter | The person who guides a falling boulderer onto the pad and keeps their head off the ground. |
| Top rope | A setup where the rope runs from the belayer up through an anchor and back down to the climber, so falls are short. |
| Trad climbing | Roped climbing where the leader places all the protection while climbing and the follower removes it. |
| Traverse | Moving sideways across a wall rather than up it. |
| Undercling | A hold gripped from underneath with the palm facing up, pulling outward instead of down. |
| V0 to V16 | The V scale used to grade bouldering problems, running from V0 for the easiest up through the hardest problems yet climbed. |
| Whipper | A long lead fall past the last clipped piece of protection, ending in a swing. |
| Yosemite Decimal System | The American grading system for roped climbs. Technical rock falls in the fifth class and is written from 5.0 upward, with letter grades added at the harder end. |
| Z-clip | Clipping the rope into a quickdraw using rope from below the previous clip instead of from the climber. It jams the system and has to be undone. |
#1 Anchor
A critical safety feature in rock climbing, where the climber attaches the rope to a secure point on the rock or wall to prevent a long fall. Anchors can be natural, like trees or rocks, or manufactured, like bolts.
#2 Belay
The process of managing the rope to protect a climber during ascent or descent. The belayer controls the slack, catches falls, and lowers the climber using a belay device, which increases friction to help hold the climber’s weight.
#3 Carabiner
A metal loop with a spring-loaded gate, used by climbers to connect components in their safety system. Carabiners come in various shapes and sizes, and they’re essential for attaching the rope, gear, and anchor points.
#4 Chalk
A substance climbers apply to their hands to absorb moisture and improve grip on the rock face. Commonly magnesium carbonate, chalk is usually carried in a bag attached to the climber’s waist or back.
#5 Dyno
Short for “dynamic move,” a dyno is a high-energy jump from one hold to another where the climber temporarily becomes airborne. It requires explosive strength and precise timing and is often used to bypass difficult sections.
#6 Edge
A technique where climbers use the edge of their climbing shoes on small ledges or features of the rock for support. It allows climbers to stand on tiny footholds, distributing their weight for better balance and control.
#7 Flake
In rock climbing, a flake is a feature of the rock that appears as a thin, detached piece standing out from the main surface, somewhat like a large chip or scale. Climbers can use flakes as handholds or footholds, and sometimes flakes can be used for placing protection, although they can be unstable and require careful assessment for safety.
#8 GriGri
A GriGri is a popular type of belay device manufactured by Petzl that includes an assisted braking function. This feature helps the belayer manage the rope during a climb and provides additional safety by automatically locking the rope if the climber falls suddenly, making it easier to catch and hold a fall.
#9 Harness
A piece of equipment that climbers wear around their waist and thighs, providing a secure attachment point for a rope or belay device. It’s essential for safety, as it catches climbers if they fall.
#10 Jam
A technique used in crack climbing where a climber inserts a hand or foot into a crack and then twists it to create friction. This allows for upward progression when hold options are limited.
#11 Knot
A method of tying rope or webbing together to secure climbers and their gear. Common climbing knots include the figure-eight and bowline, each serving specific functions for safety and utility on the climb.
#12 Lead Climbing
A style of climbing where the climber ascends with the rope starting at the bottom and clips it through quickdraws attached to protection. This is opposed to top-roping, where the rope comes from above.
#13 Mantle
A climbing move that involves pushing down with the palms on a ledge or feature to lift the body up, similar to getting out of a swimming pool. It often requires balance and upper body strength.
#14 Nut
A type of passive protection used in traditional climbing, consisting of a metal wedge attached to a wire loop. Climbers place nuts in rock cracks to arrest a fall, making them a key safety device.
#15 On-sight
On-sight climbing is a specific style of climbing in which the climber attempts to ascend a route successfully on the first try without prior practice or advice from others about the route. The climber can only use information that is observable from the ground or during the climb itself.
#16 Pitch
In rock climbing, a pitch refers to a section of a climb between two belay stations. Multi-pitch routes require the climbing party to set up several belays as they progress, often involving alternating roles where one climber leads and then belays from above while the other follows.
#17 Quickdraw
An essential piece of climbing equipment comprising two carabiners connected by a strong, short sling. It’s used by climbers during lead climbing to clip the rope to bolts or protection, reducing drag and securing the rope’s path.
#18 Rappel
A controlled descent down a rock face or rope using friction applied through a belay device. It’s a vital skill for descending after a climb or getting to the base of a multi-pitch route.
#19 Redpoint
Successfully climbing a route without falling or resting on gear after having previously attempted it. It’s a testament to a climber’s perseverance and skill improvement.
#20 Rope
The lifeline of a climber, ropes come in dynamic and static variants, allowing for safety and versatility in various climbing scenarios, from belaying to rappelling.
#21 Route
A path up a climbing wall or natural rock face with specific moves, often categorized by its difficulty rating. Routes become a puzzle to solve for climbers, often requiring multiple attempts.
#22 Send
To successfully climb a route or boulder problem without falling or resting on the gear. In the community, “send” is a term of success, equivalent to completing or mastering a challenge.
#23 Smear
A footwork technique where a climber uses the rubber of their climbing shoe to create friction against a flat surface without a distinct foothold. It requires balance and body positioning to maintain grip.
#24 Top rope
A climbing system where the rope runs from a belayer at the ground, up through an anchor at the top of the climb, and back down to the climber. It’s often considered safer for beginners as it minimizes the distance of potential falls.
#25 Traverse
A horizontal or lateral movement across the rock face, often linking different parts of a route or to access a particular climb. Traversing can test a climber’s balance and technique more than vertical ascent.
#26 Undercling
A hold that is gripped with the palms facing upward and the fingers pulling upwards on the underside of an edge or feature. Underclings often require body tension and strategic foot placements to successfully navigate.
#27 V0-V16
The grading scale used to rate the difficulty of bouldering problems, with V0 being the easiest and V16 being one of the hardest climb grades established. Boulderers use this system to assess and compare problem difficulty.
#28 Whipper
Climbing slang for a dramatic, often long, lead fall where a climber falls past the last piece of protection they clipped, creating an arc-shaped trajectory. Whippers can be scary but are usually safe with proper belaying techniques.
#29 Yosemite Decimal System
Yosemite Decimal System helps climbers assess and communicate the challenges and risks associated with different routes.
#30 Z-clip
A Z-clip occurs when a climber mistakenly clips the rope into a quickdraw (a piece of climbing gear used to connect the climbing rope to bolt anchors or other protection points) using a section of the rope below their last clip instead of from above it.
FAQ
What is it called when you climb a rock face without a rope?
Free soloing. The climber has no rope and no protection at all, so a fall is not survivable. It is not the same as free climbing, which only means the climber uses the rock to make progress and the rope purely as a safety backup.
What do you call the things you grab on a climbing wall?
Holds. They are named by shape and by how you grip them: a jug is big and easy, a crimp is a small edge for the fingertips, a sloper is rounded and held by friction, and an undercling is gripped from below.
What is the person holding the rope at the bottom called?
The belayer. They control the rope through a belay device, feeding slack out, taking it in and locking the rope off to catch a fall. The act itself is belaying.
What is it called when you climb a route on the first try?
An on-sight if you had no information about the route beforehand, and a flash if someone told you the moves first. Climbing it cleanly after practicing it is a redpoint.
What is it called when you go down a rock face on a rope?
Rappelling in American usage, abseiling in British usage. The climber descends a fixed rope under control, using a device to add friction.
What is it called when you move sideways across a rock face?
A traverse. Traverses test balance and footwork more than pulling strength, and they are used to link sections of a route or to reach the start of one.
Gear (harness, carabiner, rope, quickdraw, nut, cam), safety (anchor, belay, rappel, spotter), moves (dyno, mantle, jam, smear, heel hook) and style (on-sight, flash, redpoint, send, project). The rock climbing glossary above defines each of them.
What are some Rock Climbing terms for beginners?
“Anchor,” “Belay,” “Carabiner,” and “Harness” are some Rock Climbing terms beginners should start with. They are the basics of safety and equipment handling in climbing.
What are some funny Rock Climbing terms?
“Whipper,” “Dyno,” and “Chicken Wing” are some funny Rock Climbing terms that add a touch of humor to the sport, describing dramatic falls, dynamic moves, and awkward jamming techniques, respectively.
What is a famous Rock Climbing phrase?
“Send it,” is a famous Rock Climbing phrase, encouraging climbers to commit fully to completing a climb or making a particularly challenging move, signifying determination and enthusiasm in the climbing community.
