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

Charly’s Treff For a smaller but still jovial après scene, head to Planaistub'n, a local spot opposite the Planai gondola. —Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2025

This farm stay has stunning views of the mountain range, best observed from the oversized terrace with a cup of coffee before heading out to the gondolas for a day on the slopes. —Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 6 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

When the ski patrol radio alerted patrollers to December’s gondola emergency, Trapper McManigle was deployed at the top of Parsenn Bowl far to the south of the gondola. —John Meyer, Denver Post, 29 Nov. 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