caisson

[ key-suhn, -son ]

noun

1. a structure used in underwater work, consisting of an airtight chamber, open at the bottom and containing air under sufficient pressure to exclude the water.
2. a boatlike structure used as a gate for a dock or the like.
3. Nautical.
   1. Also called camel, pontoon. a float for raising a sunken vessel, sunk beside the vessel, made fast to it, and then pumped out to make it buoyant.
   2. a watertight structure built against a damaged area of a hull to render the hull watertight; cofferdam.
4. a two-wheeled wagon, used for carrying artillery ammunition.
5. an ammunition chest.
6. a wooden chest containing bombs or explosives, used formerly as a mine.
7. Architecture. coffer ( def 4 ).

caisson

/ ˈkeɪsən; kəˈsuːn /

noun

1. a watertight chamber open at the bottom and containing air under pressure, used to carry out construction work under water
2. a similar unpressurized chamber
3. a watertight float filled with air, used to raise sunken ships See also camel
4. a watertight structure placed across the entrance of a basin, dry dock, etc, to exclude water from it
5. 1. a box containing explosives, formerly used as a mine
   2. an ammunition chest
   3. a two-wheeled vehicle containing an ammunition chest
6. another name for coffer

Other Words From

• caissoned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of caisson¹

1695–1705; < French, Middle French < Old Provençal, equivalent to caissa box ( case ² ) + -on augmentative suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of caisson¹

C18: from French, assimilated to caisse case ²

Example Sentences

Eyer’s body in a flag-draped coffin was brought from police headquarters on a horse-drawn caisson three blocks to the church where the late evangelist Billy Graham held his first crusade.

From Seattle Times

The horses are part of the caisson platoon of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, which is best known for guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the cemetery, located just across the river from Washington.

From Seattle Times

For the past year, the Army has used a funeral home hearse or another vehicle in place of the caisson.

From Seattle Times

And in ceremonies for Army and Marine Corps officers who were colonels or above, there is a riderless horse that walks behind the caisson.

From Seattle Times

The Army is also working on obtaining a lighter caisson to put less strain on the horses and developing new saddles and other tack to better prevent horse injuries, Pepin said.

From Washington Times