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You may have fun on a funicular, but the word is not related to "fun" (which comes to us from an English dialect verb meaning "to hoax"). The noun "funicular" descends from an earlier adjective funicular, meaning "relating to a cord under tension." It was also influenced by "funiculaire," a French word used for a type of railway that is dependent upon cables (or on "cords under tension"). Ultimately, these terms trace back to the Latin noun funiculus, meaning "small rope." "Funicular" first appeared in print as an adjective in English in 1664; the noun has been with us since the early 20th century.
Examples of funicular in a Sentence
Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 3 Jan. 2026
Hoteliers, too, have taken note, slowly rolling out stays that capture the spirit of this getaway with top-tier amenities: The Cayuga Collection’s Isla Palenque, a 10-key luxury eco-resort, will introduce three two-bedroom villas in 2026 and 2027, all with a funicular and private pools.
—Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Dec. 2025
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
The resort also offers ski-in/ski-out access to Deer Valley, complete with ski valets, and is home to the only funicular at a North American ski resort.
—Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 29 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Funicular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/funicular. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
funicular
adjective
