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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Coming online this winter is a very fast two-stage state-of-the-art gondola with 10-passenger cabins. Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025 That’s why early-season skiing at Keystone and Vail can involve skiing at the top of the mountain, but riding the lift or gondola down to the base rather than skiing. John Meyer, Denver Post, 11 Apr. 2025 The Little Nell Trail, which starts underneath the Silver Queen gondola right in town. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2025 With that approval, the ski area and its new gondola could be up and running by next winter. Megan Michelson, Outside Online, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gondola

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 30 Apr. 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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