funicular

[ fyoo-nik-yuh-ler ]

adjective

1. of or relating to a rope or cord, or its tension.
2. worked by a rope or the like.

noun

1. funicular railway.

funicular

/ fjuːˈnɪkjʊlə /

noun

1. Also calledfunicular railway a railway up the side of a mountain, consisting of a counterbalanced car sat either end of a cable passing round a driving wheel at the summit

adjective

1. relating to or operated by a rope, cable, etc
2. of or relating to a funicle

Word History and Origins

Origin of funicular¹

1655–65; < Latin fūnicul ( us ) ( funiculus ) + -ar ¹

Example Sentences

Right, the Angels Flight funicular begins a descent in downtown L.A.

From Los Angeles Times

To your left, you’ll see the funicular Angels Flight, which gives its name to a detective novel by the immensely popular Michael Connelly.

From New York Times

Filming took place over seven sometimes wet nights, during which the crew occasionally had to wait for the Sacré-Coeur’s funicular, carrying tourists up the incline, to pass.

From New York Times

In November 2000, a cable car on a funicular railway caught fire in a mountain tunnel in Kaprun, Austria, killing 155 people.

From Seattle Times

HIE said at the time it was cheaper to fix the funicular than dismantle it.

From BBC