funicular

American  

[fyoo-nik-yuh-ler] / fyuˈnɪk yə lər /

adjective

1. of or relating to a rope or cord, or its tension.

2. worked by a rope or the like.

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noun

1. funicular railway.

funicular British  

/ fjuːˈnɪkjʊlə /

noun

1. Also called: funicular 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

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adjective

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

2. of or relating to a funicle

Etymology

Origin of funicular

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

Example Sentences

Located on a 5-acre lot on the edge of the lake, the dwelling is known as Crystal Pointe and offers direct access to the water via a unique hillside track that operates two funicular trams.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 2, 2026

The head of Lisbon's municipal transport operator and its entire board resigned Wednesday, two days after an inquiry pointed to a faulty cable in a deadly funicular crash last month.

From Barron's • Oct. 22, 2025

The Portuguese victims included four members of staff from the same social care institution, whose offices sit at the top of the sheer side road serviced by the funicular.

From Barron's • Oct. 20, 2025

Portuguese officials investigating Wednesday's deadly funicular crash in Lisbon say a cable along the railway's route snapped, but the rest of the mechanism was functioning properly.

From BBC • Sep. 6, 2025

Slowly the Muscovites peeled off the steaming mountain and took the funicular down the other side.

From Modern Essays by Ayres, Harry Morgan