Illustration of caisson
- caisson 1b
1
a
: a chest to hold ammunition
b
: a usually 2-wheeled vehicle for artillery ammunition attachable to a horse-drawn limber
also
: a limber with its attached caisson
2
a
: a watertight chamber used in construction work under water or as a foundation
b
: a hollow floating box or a boat used as a floodgate for a dock or basin
3
Examples of caisson in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Army Military District of Washington is also considering reducing the weight of the caisson, which is about 2,800 pounds without the casket.
—
Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 10 May 2023
During military funerals, caissons — wheeled vehicles originally designed to carry artillery, but used since the 19th century to remove dead soldiers from battlefields — drawn by horses carry caskets to gravesites.
—Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post, 8 May 2023
To reach this historic brick-and-cast-iron tower, volunteers catch a boat 1,500 feet offshore to the lighthouse, then climb a vertical steel-rung ladder up the side of a caisson—the watertight retaining structure that serves as the base for the structure itself.
—Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Apr. 2023
First Flight was a retired racehorse who briefly worked as a caisson horse in military funerals at Arlington National Cemetery before reportedly bolting with a general's coffin.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 16 Mar. 2023
Wilkinson said a source of encouragement with the seawall issues is that when the city recently rebuilt parts of the Monroe Street parking garage on the park’s northern side, there were no groundwater issues in drilling caisson anchors.
—Paul Gattis | Pgattis@al.com, al, 27 Oct. 2022
The caisson would normally have a casket on it, draped in an American flag.
—Drew F. Lawrence and Katie Bo Lillis, CNN, 7 Apr. 2022
Pershing, wearing a dark mourning band on one sleeve, and Harding, wearing a top hat, walked side by side behind the caisson.
—Michael E. Ruane, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Nov. 2021
The elaborate sendoff included a caisson ride for the cremated remains of Cole, who was Jimmy Doolittle’s co-pilot in the daring bombing mission over Japan that boosted American morale after five months of spectacular defeats across the Pacific.
—Sig Christenson, San Antonio Express-News, 7 Sep. 2021
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Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 10 May 2023
During military funerals, caissons — wheeled vehicles originally designed to carry artillery, but used since the 19th century to remove dead soldiers from battlefields — drawn by horses carry caskets to gravesites.
—Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post, 8 May 2023
To reach this historic brick-and-cast-iron tower, volunteers catch a boat 1,500 feet offshore to the lighthouse, then climb a vertical steel-rung ladder up the side of a caisson—the watertight retaining structure that serves as the base for the structure itself.
—Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Apr. 2023
First Flight was a retired racehorse who briefly worked as a caisson horse in military funerals at Arlington National Cemetery before reportedly bolting with a general's coffin.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 16 Mar. 2023
Wilkinson said a source of encouragement with the seawall issues is that when the city recently rebuilt parts of the Monroe Street parking garage on the park’s northern side, there were no groundwater issues in drilling caisson anchors.
—Paul Gattis | Pgattis@al.com, al, 27 Oct. 2022
The caisson would normally have a casket on it, draped in an American flag.
—Drew F. Lawrence and Katie Bo Lillis, CNN, 7 Apr. 2022
Pershing, wearing a dark mourning band on one sleeve, and Harding, wearing a top hat, walked side by side behind the caisson.
—Michael E. Ruane, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Nov. 2021
The elaborate sendoff included a caisson ride for the cremated remains of Cole, who was Jimmy Doolittle’s co-pilot in the daring bombing mission over Japan that boosted American morale after five months of spectacular defeats across the Pacific.
—Sig Christenson, San Antonio Express-News, 7 Sep. 2021
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'caisson.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
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Cite this Entry
“Caisson.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caisson. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
caisson
noun
cais·son
ˈkā-ˌsän 
ˈkā-sᵊn
1
a
: a chest for ammunition
b
: a usually two-wheeled vehicle for artillery ammunition
2
: a watertight chamber used in construction work underwater or as a foundation
More from Merriam-Webster on caisson
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for caisson
Nglish: Translation of caisson for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about caisson
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