pontoon

1 of 2

noun (1)

pon·​toon pän-ˈtün 

1

: a flat-bottomed boat (such as a lighter)

especially : a flat-bottomed boat or portable float used in building a floating temporary bridge

2

: a float especially of a seaplane

pontoon

2 of 2

noun (2)

British

: blackjack sense 1

Examples of pontoon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Authorities say the pontoon boat collided with a barge and that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is investigating. — Ashley Grams, CBS News, 13 July 2026

More than 1,700 square meters (18,298 square feet) of interiors unfold with the scale expected of a major lakefront residence, including an indoor pool, spa, gym, cinema-capable conference room, lakeside terrace and private pontoon. — Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

For a livelier outing, gather a group and set out on a pontoon boat with Carolina Cruising Charters, where add-ons like water skiing, kneeboarding, and tubing can transform a simple afternoon on the water into a full-fledged adventure. — Brennan Long, Southern Living, 7 July 2026

Just beyond the pontoons and paddleboarding on White Bear Lake, residents of tiny Birchwood Village are gearing up for their annual Fourth of July parade celebration. — Georgia Ross, Twin Cities, 4 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

French ponton, from Old French, from Latin ponton-, ponto

Noun (2)

perhaps alteration of vingt-et-un

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1676, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1917, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pontoon

• pontoon bridge
• pontoon plane

Rhymes for pontoon

• attune
• baboon
• balloon
• bassoon
• buffoon
• cartoon
• cocoon
• festoon
• gaboon
• harpoon
• immune
• impugn

Kids Definition

pontoon

noun

pon·​toon

pän-ˈtün

1

: a flat-bottomed boat

2

: a float used in building a floating bridge

3

: a float of an airplane

Etymology

Noun

from French ponton "a floating bridge, punt," from Latin ponton-, ponto (same meaning), from pont-, pons "bridge" — related to punt entry 1