gondola

noun

gon·​do·​la
(usual for sense 1)
ˈgän-də-lə How to pronounce gondola (audio) gän-ˈdō- How to pronounce gondola (audio)
1
: a long narrow flat-bottomed boat with a high prow and stern used on the canals of Venice
2
a
: an elongated car attached to the underside of an airship
b
: an often spherical airtight enclosure suspended from a balloon for carrying passengers or instruments
c
: an enclosed car suspended from a cable and used for transporting passengers
especially : one used as a ski lift
3
: a heavy flat-bottomed boat used on New England rivers and on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers
4
: a railroad car with no top, a flat bottom, and fixed sides that is used chiefly for hauling heavy bulk commodities

Illustration of gondola

Illustration of gondola
  • gondola 1

Examples of gondola in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Word History

Etymology

Italian dialect (Venetian), probably from Middle Greek kontoura small vessel

First Known Use

1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gondola was in 1549

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gondola.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gondola. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

gondola

noun
gon·​do·​la ˈgän-də-lə ( How to pronounce gondola (audio)
usual for sense 1
How to pronounce gondola (audio)
gän-ˈdō-
1
: a long narrow boat with a high prow and stern used on the canals of Venice
2
: a railroad car with low sides and no top used for hauling loose freight
3
: an enclosure that hangs from something: as
a
: the part of a balloon in which passengers or instruments are carried
b
: a car that hangs from a cable and is used especially as a lift for skiers

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