noun
gondola
GON-duh-luh
noun
1
A long, narrow boat with a raised prow, traditionally rowed with a single oar, famously used on the canals of Venice.
"The couple took a romantic gondola ride through the canals of Venice."
2
An enclosed cabin or car that carries people up a mountain or ski slope on a cable.
"We rode the gondola to the top of the mountain to watch the sunset."
3
A freestanding shelving unit used to display goods in a supermarket or shop.
"The seasonal candy was stacked on a gondola near the entrance."
How to Use Gondola
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDepending on context, either the classic Venetian boat, a cable car cabin, or a supermarket display shelf.
Common pairings
ski gondola
gondola ride
store gondola
Word Forms
gondolaed past tense, gondolas plural, gondole plural, gondolas singular
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The couple took a romantic _____ ride through the canals of Venice.
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian gondola, via the Venetian dialect, possibly ultimately from a Byzantine Greek word for a type of small ship.