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

Other businesses have felt the effect of the mountain bike park and the potential impact of the gondola. —John Meyer, Denver Post, 30 Apr. 2026

Get cozy in the cushioned seats of a Venetian gondola powered by a gondolier wearing a striped shirt and straw hat. —Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 28 Apr. 2026

The African Sky Safari gondola gives you a bird’s-eye view of giraffes, zebras and other animals roaming below, while also giving your feet a break. —Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026

For a long time, many visitors saw Venice as a place to hurry through, taking a gondola ride, snapping a few photos, and quickly walking through Piazza San Marco before leaving. —Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 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