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

Located at the base of Niseko Village (a quick walk to the gondola), the 50-room property balances minimalist Japanese architecture with plush textures, with floor-to-ceiling windows that frame Mount Yotei and a meditative onsen carved from dark stone. —Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 15 Dec. 2025

Alongside the tower, a gondola line will allow visitors to travel directly to a nearby ski area. —New Atlas, 13 Dec. 2025

And since 2024, Deer Valley has added 100 new ski runs, 10 new chairlifts, and a 10-passenger gondola. —Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2025

Stone Tower Winery offers a cozy gondola-for-two experience that feels like the ultimate winter experience. —Heather Bien, Southern Living, 5 Dec. 2025

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