gondolier
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of gondolier
From the Italian word gondoliere, dating back to 1595–1605. See gondola, -ier 2
Explanation
A gondolier is the pilot of one of the long, narrow boats that travel up and down the canals of Venice. A gondolier stands facing the bow while rowing with a long-handled oar. If you're a strong swimmer, an experienced canoeist, and a fluent Italian speaker, you'd make a great gondolier! Work for gondoliers is limited to Venice, Italy, a watery city made up of many islands separated by canals. Most of these bodies of water are spanned by bridges, but traveling by gondola is especially common among tourists in Venice. Both gondolier and gondola come from the Rhaetian gondolà, "to rock or roll."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I told the gondolier to stop singing,” Rustioni said.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 10, 2023
The tradition began, according to parade organizers, in 1907 when an Italian gondolier named John Scarpa took a group of visitors from Pasadena across the bay in a gondola decorated with Japanese lanterns.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 11, 2019
And, of course, this being Las Vegas the guy doing the anthems was a singing gondolier whose day job is serenading tourists in the faux canals of Venice just across the street.
From Washington Times ● May 19, 2018
The gondolier pictured is wearing a kasa, or a traditional Japanese straw hat.
From New York Times ● Oct. 21, 2017
Feeling like a gondolier, Zeitoun paddled steadily and said nothing.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
