Word Study
gondola
CIDE DICTIONARY
gondola, n. [It., dim. of gonda a gondola; cf. LL. gandeia a kind of boat, Gr. a drinking vessel; said to be a Persian word; cf. F. gondole gondola, cup.].
- A long, narrow boat with a high prow and stern, used in the canals of Venice. A gondola is usually propelled by one or two oarsmen who stand facing the prow, or by poling. A gondola for passengers has a small open cabin amidships, for their protection against the sun or rain. A sumptuary law of Venice required that gondolas should be painted black, and they are customarily so painted now. [1913 Webster]
- A flat-bottomed boat for freight. [1913 Webster]
- A long platform car, either having no sides or with very low sides, used on railroads. [1913 Webster]
- An elongated car under a dirigible. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
gondola, n.
1 a light flat-bottomed boat used on Venetian canals, with a central cabin and a high point at each end, worked by one oar at the stern.
2 a car suspended from an airship or balloon.
3 an island of shelves used to display goods in a supermarket.
4 (also gondola car) US a flat-bottomed open railway goods wagon.
5 a car attached to a ski-lift.
1 a light flat-bottomed boat used on Venetian canals, with a central cabin and a high point at each end, worked by one oar at the stern.
2 a car suspended from an airship or balloon.
3 an island of shelves used to display goods in a supermarket.
4 (also gondola car) US a flat-bottomed open railway goods wagon.
5 a car attached to a ski-lift.
Etymology
Venetian It., of obscure orig.
ROGET THESAURUS
gondola
Ship
N ship, vessel, sail, craft, bottom, navy, marine, fleet, flotilla, shipping, man of war, transport, tender, storeship, merchant ship, merchantman, packet, liner, whaler, slaver, collier, coaster, lighter, fishing boat, pilot boat, trawler, hulk, yacht, baggala, floating hotel, floating palace, ocean greyhound, ship, bark, barque, brig, snow, hermaphrodite brig, brigantine, barkantine, schooner, topsail schooner, for and aft schooner, three masted schooner, chasse-maree, sloop, cutter, corvette, clipper, foist, yawl, dandy, ketch, smack, lugger, barge, hoy, cat, buss, sailer, sailing vessel, windjammer, steamer, steamboat, steamship, liner, ocean liner, cruiseship, ship of the line, mail steamer, paddle steamer, screw steamer, tug, line of steamers, destroyer, cruiser, frigate, landing ship, LST, aircraft carrier, carrier, flattop, nuclear powered carrier, submarine, submersible, atomic submarine, boat, pinnace, launch, life boat, long boat, jolly boat, bum boat, fly boat, cock boat, ferry boat, canal boat, swamp boat, ark, bully, battery, bateau, broadhorn, dory, droger, drogher, dugout, durham boat, flatboat, galiot, shallop, gig, funny, skiff, dingy, scow, cockleshell, wherry, coble, punt, cog, kedge, lerret, eight oar, four oar, pair oar, randan, outrigger, float, raft, pontoon, prame, iceboat, ice canoe, ice yacht, catamaran, hydroplane, hovercraft, coracle, gondola, carvel, caravel, felucca, caique, canoe, birch bark canoe, dugout canoe, galley, galleyfoist, bilander, dogger, hooker, howker, argosy, carack, galliass, galleon, polacca, polacre, tartane, junk, lorcha, praam, proa, prahu, saick, sampan, xebec, dhow, dahabeah, nuggah, kayak, keel boat, log canoe, pirogue, quadrireme, trireme, stern-wheeler, wanigan, wangan, wharf boat, balloon, airship, aeroplane, biplane, monoplane, triplane, hydroplane, aerodrome, air balloon, pilot balloon, fire balloon, dirigible, zeppelin, aerostat, Montgolfier, kite, parachute, jet plane, rocket plane, jet liner, turbojet, prop-jet, propeller plane, corporate plane, corporate jet, private plane, private aviation, airline, common carrier, fighter, bomber, fighter-bomber, escort plane, spy plane, supersonic aircraft, subsonic aircraft, afloat, aboard, on board, on ship board, hard a lee, hard a port, hard a starboard, hard a weather.For further exploring for "gondola" in Webster Dictionary Online