gondola

noun

gon·​do·​la ˈgän-də-lə 

(usual for sense 1)

gän-ˈdō- 

1

: a long narrow flat-bottomed boat with a high prow and stern used on the canals of Venice

2

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

3

: a heavy flat-bottomed boat used on New England rivers and on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers

4

: a railroad car with no top, a flat bottom, and fixed sides that is used chiefly for hauling heavy bulk commodities

Illustration of gondola

• gondola 1

Examples of gondola in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Zephyr is around 100 feet from the gondola in the heart of the Winter Park base village. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025

The ride lineup will include five roller coasters along with a drop tower, boat ride, flying theater, gondola lift system, eccentric wheel and spirit animal carousel. —Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 23 Dec. 2025

When the sun sets, Mount Norquay remains open for night skiing and the gondola at Banff whisks guests up Sulphur Mountain to Nightrise. —Jen Murphy, Outside, 20 Dec. 2025

Also, did Nico have to propose on a gondola and in front of their friends? —Radhika Seth, Vogue, 20 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian dialect (Venetian), probably from Middle Greek kontoura small vessel

First Known Use

1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

gondola

noun

gon·​do·​la ˈgän-də-lə ( 

usual for sense 1

) 

gän-ˈdō-

1

: a long narrow boat with a high prow and stern used on the canals of Venice

2

: a railroad car with low sides and no top used for hauling loose freight

3

: an enclosure that hangs from something: as

a

: the part of a balloon in which passengers or instruments are carried

b

: a car that hangs from a cable and is used especially as a lift for skiers