pontoon
1
[ pon-toon ]
/ pɒnˈtun /
noun
Military.
a boat or some other floating structure used as one of the supports for a temporary bridge over a river.
a float for a derrick, landing stage, etc.
Nautical.
a float for raising a sunken or deeply laden vessel in the water; a camel or caisson.
a seaplane float.
Also
pon·ton
[pon-tn] /ˈpɒn tn/.
Origin of pontoon
1
1585–95; < French
ponton < Latin
pontōn- (stem of
pontō) flat-bottomed boat, punt
Words nearby pontoon
Definition for pontoon (2 of 2)
pontoon
2
[ pon-toon ]
/ pɒnˈtun /
noun British.
the card game twenty-one.
Origin of pontoon
2
1915–20; alteration of French
vingt-et-un twenty-one
Example sentences from the Web for pontoon
British Dictionary definitions for pontoon (1 of 2)
pontoon
1
/ (pɒnˈtuːn) /
noun
- a watertight float or vessel used where buoyancy is required in water, as in supporting a bridge, in salvage work, or where a temporary or mobile structure is required in military operations
- (as modifier)a pontoon bridge
nautical
a float, often inflatable, for raising a vessel in the water
Word Origin for pontoon
C17: from French
ponton, from Latin
pontō punt, floating bridge, from
pōns bridge
British Dictionary definitions for pontoon (2 of 2)
pontoon
2
/ (pɒnˈtuːn) /
noun
Also called: (esp US) twenty-one, vingt-et-un
a gambling game in which players try to obtain card combinations worth 21 points
(in this game) the combination of an ace with a ten or court card when dealt to a player as his first two cards
Word Origin for pontoon
C20: probably an alteration of French
vingt-et-un, literally: twenty-one