French word

grimper

Pronunciation

IPA/gʁɛ̃pe/

Meaning

  • verbclimb

Example

Les enfants grimpent à l'arbre.

The children are climbing the tree.

Illustration for grimper (climb)

More examples

Les prix grimpent rapidement.

Prices are rising quickly.

Core concept

A climber steadily gains height by gripping, pushing, and shifting upward, an image that also fits rising figures.

Common phrases

  • grimper à un arbre

    climb a tree

  • grimper sur une échelle

    climb a ladder

  • grimper en flèche

    rise sharply

Similar words

monter: Reach a higher place or floor by moving upward.
augmenter: Become greater in amount, level, or price.

Definition in French

Aller vers le haut en s'aidant du corps, notamment des mains et des pieds; s'emploie aussi au sens figuré pour indiquer qu'une quantité, un prix ou un niveau augmente.

Word origin

The verb grimper developed from the older French forms gremper and grimper, first referring to physical climbing before acquiring figurative uses for increases.

Usage tips

  • With prices or numbers, grimper can be intransitive, as in les prix grimpent, and means that they rise sharply or noticeably.

Other meanings

  • clamberverb
  • riseverb

Opposites

Related words

  • grimpeurclimbernoun
  • grimpeusefemale climbernoun
  • grimpeclimbingnoun

Word lists with this word