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You may have fun on a funicular, but the word is not related to "fun" (which comes to us from an English dialect verb meaning "to hoax"). The noun "funicular" descends from an earlier adjective funicular, meaning "relating to a cord under tension." It was also influenced by "funiculaire," a French word used for a type of railway that is dependent upon cables (or on "cords under tension"). Ultimately, these terms trace back to the Latin noun funiculus, meaning "small rope." "Funicular" first appeared in print as an adjective in English in 1664; the noun has been with us since the early 20th century.
Examples of funicular in a Sentence
Jill Barth, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024
Each level is reachable via a funicular, taking guests from the signature all-day restaurant Citron (which has dining pods suspended over the restaurant’s edge) to its white sand beach—one of the finest in the country.
—Katie Lockhart, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2024
Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 10 Oct. 2024
The city, built across various elevations and connected by funiculars, elevators, and steep stairways, cascades down the surrounding hills into the harbor.
—Carrie Dennis, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for funicular 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'funicular.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near funicular
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“Funicular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/funicular. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
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funicular
adjective
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