gondola

[ gon-dl-uh or especially for 1, gon-doh-luh ]
/ ˈgɒn dl ə or especially for 1, gɒnˈdoʊ lə /

noun

Origin of gondola

1540–50; < Italian < Venetian, probably < Medieval Greek kontoúra small boat used in coastal navigation, noun use of feminine of kóntouros short, clipped, literally, dock-tailed, equivalent to Late Greek kont(ós), kond(ós) short + Greek -ouros -tailed, adj. derivative of ourá tail

Example sentences from the Web for gondola

British Dictionary definitions for gondola

gondola
/ (ˈɡɒndələ) /

noun

a long narrow flat-bottomed boat with a high ornamented stem and a platform at the stern where an oarsman stands and propels the boat by sculling or punting: traditionally used on the canals of Venice
  1. a car or cabin suspended from an airship or balloon
  2. a moving cabin suspended from a cable across a valley, etc
a flat-bottomed barge used on canals and rivers of the US as far west as the Mississippi
US and Canadian a low open flat-bottomed railway goods wagon
a set of island shelves in a self-service shop: used for displaying goods
Canadian a broadcasting booth built close to the roof over an ice-hockey arena, used by commentators

Word Origin for gondola

C16: from Italian (Venetian dialect), from Medieval Latin gondula, perhaps ultimately from Greek kondu drinking vessel