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
In isolation, against a white background that is actually overcast sky, a hook or a caisson or a sheaf of rebar appears sculptural, abstract, exquisite.
—
Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Hitchcock recalled a day during the summer of 2007 when the cannon, now on its caisson and a moveable platform, was tested on the event level of Nationwide Arena, just beyond the ice-resurfacer entrance.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
In 2024, Bally’s had to relocate the 34-story hotel tower, which is beginning to rise up over the Ohio feeder ramp, to the south end of the casino after it was determined that driving caissons into the ground might damage municipal water management infrastructure pipes along the river.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
Built in 2009 on 75 bedrock-deep caissons, the 7,681-square-foot house offers five bedrooms and eight bathrooms.
—Sandra Barrera, Oc Register, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for caisson
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Hitchcock recalled a day during the summer of 2007 when the cannon, now on its caisson and a moveable platform, was tested on the event level of Nationwide Arena, just beyond the ice-resurfacer entrance.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
In 2024, Bally’s had to relocate the 34-story hotel tower, which is beginning to rise up over the Ohio feeder ramp, to the south end of the casino after it was determined that driving caissons into the ground might damage municipal water management infrastructure pipes along the river.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
Built in 2009 on 75 bedrock-deep caissons, the 7,681-square-foot house offers five bedrooms and eight bathrooms.
—Sandra Barrera, Oc Register, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for caisson
Cite this Entry
“Caisson.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caisson. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
