Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An oblong metal ring with a hinged and spring-loaded gate, used in activities such as mountaineering to connect a running rope to another piece of equipment.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A metal link with a gate that can open and close, generally used for clipping ropes to anchors or other objects.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an oblong metal ring with a spring clip; used in mountaineering to attach a rope to a piton or to connect two ropes

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[German Karabiner, short for Karabinerhaken, hook for a carbine, from Karabiner, carbine, from French carabine; see carbine.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Shortened from German Karabinerhaken.

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