: 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
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For a unique experience, book a hot-air balloon ride, hop aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train, or cruise along the Napa River in a gondola.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
13 Oct. 2026 There would also be 145 acres of new ski trails and 135 acres for tree skiing, serviced by four new aerial lifts and a gondola that would connect skiers to the town.—
Digital Producer,
CBS News,
7 Oct. 2026 Nothing tells you how ticket holders are responding to a movie like a gondola ride to or from the Chuck Jones Theatre.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
9 Sep. 2026 One fond memory of Telluride is once being trapped in a gondola with the often grumpy Mike Leigh.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gondola
Word History
Etymology
Italian dialect (Venetian), probably from Middle Greek kontoura small vessel