English Reference
Noun

spiderman

n. countable
B1 Intermediate US /ˈspaɪdɝmæn/ spi·der·man

n.a person who climbs high buildings or structures without using safety equipment. It is a casual name for someone who acts like the famous comic book hero.

n.a person who scales the exterior of tall buildings or structures, typically without authorization or safety harnesses. Often used as a nickname or descriptive label for urban climbers.


SIMPLE

The local spiderman climbed the skyscraper in under an hour.

CONTEXTUAL

Police arrested the self-styled spiderman after he reached the roof of the city's tallest hotel.

COMPLEX

While some view the urban spiderman as a reckless thrill-seeker, others admire the physical discipline required to navigate sheer glass facades without any mechanical assistance.

Usage

Often used as a common noun in news reports to describe urban climbers; when referring to the fictional character, it is a proper noun and must be capitalized.

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated