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

One of his wackier ideas involved Italian gondolas, grass huts and servants dressed in Tahitian clothing. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2026

Fort Lauderdale offers a burgeoning food scene, several museums, 24 miles of beachfront, and gondola rides on the canals. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2026

The 2017 Top Scan ride with five rotating gondola arms was built by Dutch ridemaker Mondial. —Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 21 Jan. 2026

In Keystone, Colorado, ride the gondola up to the top and learn how to pizza from more than 11,000 feet high. —Alison Fox, Outside, 20 Jan. 2026

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