Main Entry:

gon·do·la

Pronunciation:

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

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Italian dialect (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 Venice2: a heavy flat-bottomed boat used on New England rivers and on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers3: a railroad car with no top, a flat bottom, and fixed sides that is used chiefly for hauling heavy bulk commodities4 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]