noun
pontoon
pon-TOON
noun
1
A flat-bottomed float used to support a temporary bridge, dock, or platform on water.
"Engineers assembled a pontoon bridge to move troops across the river."
"The floating dock rests on a row of pontoons."
2
A British card game similar to blackjack, where players try to reach 21 without going over.
"They played pontoon for matchsticks on New Year's Eve."
How to Use Pontoon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA floating support used for bridges and docks, or (in the UK) a blackjack-style card game.
UK vs US
The card game sense is mainly British; Americans would call it blackjack or twenty-one.
Common pairings
pontoon bridge
play pontoon
Word Forms
pontoons plural
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Engineers assembled a _____ bridge to move troops across the river.
Etymology
From Middle French ponton, from Latin pontō, "ferryboat," from pōns, "bridge."