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

Imbibe inside or in the adjoining garden-courtyard where passing gondolas send canal water lapping below the balustrade. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026

One of the video's most memorable sequences features Madonna grooving to the dance-pop track while riding a gondola. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026

Beyond ski-in-ski-out access during the winter months, even though this 8,000-square-foot home has its own private gondola, this residence was built for year-round enjoyment. — Catherine Dunwoody, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Skyway to Tomorrowland was an aerial gondola which took passengers up in the sky in buckets suspended from cables, transporting them from Fantasyland over to Tomorrowland, with a trip inside the upper portion of the Matterhorn on the way. — Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026

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