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

Step right off the property onto miles of scenic hiking and mountain biking trails, or ride the complimentary gondola down to historic downtown for instant access to iconic box-canyon treks, cascading waterfalls and world-class fly fishing. — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park can only be accessed by a scenic gondola ride that whisks visitors up the mountain. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 20 Aug. 2026

Through the cracks in Sepp the tuba player’s monologue, readers may try to catch a glimpse of the taciturn listener stuck in the gondola with him. — Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026

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

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