gondola

[ gon-dl-uh gon-doh-luh ]

noun

1. a long, narrow, flat-bottomed boat having a tall, ornamental stem and stern and sometimes a small cabin for passengers, rowed or poled by a single person who stands at the stern, facing forward: used especially on the canals of Venice, Italy.
2. a passenger compartment suspended beneath a balloon or airship. Compare car ¹( def 4 ).
3. an enclosed cabin suspended from an overhead cable, used to transport passengers up and down a ski slope or over scenic or treacherous terrain.
4. Also called gondola car. an open railroad freight car with low sides, for transporting bulk freight and manufactured goods.
5. a truck whose bed or trailer is a hopper, as for transporting mixed cement.
6. a freestanding structure for displaying merchandise in a retail establishment, as a supermarket.
7. a chair or couch having a gondola back.

gondola

/ ˈɡɒndələ /

noun

1. a long narrow flat-bottomed boat with a high ornamented stem and a platform at the stern where an oarsman stands and propels the boat by sculling or punting: traditionally used on the canals of Venice
2. 1. a car or cabin suspended from an airship or balloon
   2. a moving cabin suspended from a cable across a valley, etc
3. a flat-bottomed barge used on canals and rivers of the US as far west as the Mississippi
4. a low open flat-bottomed railway goods wagon
5. a set of island shelves in a self-service shop: used for displaying goods
6. a broadcasting booth built close to the roof over an ice-hockey arena, used by commentators

Word History and Origins

Origin of gondola¹

1540–50; < Italian < Venetian, probably < Medieval Greek kontoúra small boat used in coastal navigation, noun use of feminine of kóntouros short, clipped, literally, dock-tailed, equivalent to Late Greek kont ( ós ), kond ( ós ) short + Greek -ouros -tailed, adj. derivative of ourá tail

Word History and Origins

Origin of gondola¹

C16: from Italian (Venetian dialect), from Medieval Latin gondula, perhaps ultimately from Greek kondu drinking vessel

Example Sentences

Elysian Park Notably home to two things: Dodger Stadium — itself so inaccessible on foot that there has been a years-long effort to build a gondola to ferry people there from Union Station — as well as the neighborhood’s namesake 600-acre park, which may put it toward the top of a strollability index.

From Los Angeles Times

At one point, a chant of “Gondola” broke out, as fans referenced the proposed project that would add a 1.2-mile aerial line over Chinatown as a new way to get to the game.

From Los Angeles Times

She cited plans for a gondola at the city-owned ski area, updates to the downtown sea walk and increased visitor capacity at the popular Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area.

From Seattle Times

He is the force behind the proposed gondola from Union Station to Dodger Stadium, where he retains half-ownership of the parking lots surrounding the stadium.

From Los Angeles Times

Former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt is hoping his Dodger Stadium gondola project will become a reality, but his proposal is meeting stiff resistance.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• barge
• canoe
• catamaran
• craft
• dinghy
• raft
• sailboat
• schooner
• ship
• yacht