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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
Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2024
Take a funicular ride up Monte San Salvatore at the city's edge, offering a bird’s eye view deep into Italy to the south and north to the Swiss Alps.
—Everett Potter, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
Even the moment of arrival is grand: Take the boat across the lake and the funicular up to the property, which is made up of four different hotel concepts, three separate spas, plus multiple dining venues, including Taverne 1879, the traditional Swiss kitchen.
—Chadner Navarro, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Dec. 2023
Up to 1,500 passengers an hour, plus their skis or snowboards, can also be carried – a 50% increase over the previous funicular railway.
—Ben Jones, CNN, 8 May 2023
Across the Catalina Channel are L.A.’s beaches, and — elusive as the endangered El Segundo blue butterfly that disports itself there — the ghost of Playa del Rey’s funicular railway.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2021
Members of the public can access it by paying a fee (funicular cost included), either with a reservation or as walk-in guests.
—John Scarpinato, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2023
Dine: Ride the spiffy Merkur mountain funicular carriage to the charming Wolpertinger restaurant for satisfying traditional fare such as Spätzle cheese noodles and schnitzel served cliffside with chilled Reisling.
—Mosha Lundström Halbert, Vogue, 21 July 2022
But the dramatic mountain landscapes of Italy’s second-largest UNESCO World Heritage Site (just behind the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park in Southern Italy) are remarkably accessible, thanks to a system of major and secondary rail lines, buses, ski lifts and funicular railways.
—Washington Post, 6 Aug. 2021
Everett Potter, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
Ride the funicular up to the UNESCO World Heritage View lookout point for stunning views of Hallstatt village, the lake, and surrounding mountains.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 26 Nov. 2023
Situated on a 200-foot mountainside with postcard-perfect views of an azure Caribbean Sea, the villas feature three-bedrooms and four bathrooms, a gourmet kitchen, private plunge pool, bathrooms with rain showers and soaking tubs, and direct access to a future on-property funicular.
—Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 12 Sep. 2023
In Orvieto, a funicular (1.3 euros) will take you up to the town, which sits on a rock cliff, overlooking the surrounding green valley and distant hills.
—Perri Klass, New York Times, 5 July 2023
Take the funicular to the tiny village of Brunate for an amazing panorama.
—Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2023
From the Mirador de Sant Joan at the top of the funicular, hikers can choose from several routes of varying difficulty that lead to different hermitages in the mountains.
—Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023
Karma Kandara Beach Unlike Green Bowl, the descent to this exclusive beach is made not on foot but in a funicular.
—John Scarpinato, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2023
Riders take a funicular to the top before beginning their rapid descent.
—Forrest Brown, CNN, 20 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'funicular.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near funicular
Cite this Entry
“Funicular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/funicular. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
funicular
adjective
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