Main Entry: gon·do·la

Pronunciation: \ˈgän-də-lə (usual for sense 1), gän-ˈdō-\

Function: noun

Etymology: Italian dial. (Venetian), probably from Middle Greek kontoura small vessel

Date: 1549

1 : a long narrow flat-bottomed boat with a high prow and stern used on the canals of Venice
2 : a heavy flat-bottomed boat used on New England rivers and on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers
3 : a railroad car with no top, a flat bottom, and fixed sides that is used chiefly for hauling heavy bulk commodities
4 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

[gondola illustration]