gondolier

American  

[gon-dl-eer] / ˌgɒn dlˈɪər /

noun

1. a person who rows or poles a gondola.

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gondolier British  

/ ˌɡɒndəˈlɪə /

noun

1. a man who propels a gondola

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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

He relates on a personal level to a gondolier whose son will eventually take over his business.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2023

“To be a gondolier was always my dream,” Mr. Beniamin, 22, said one bright winter day in a Venice rendered vacant by a wave of Covid-19 sweeping across Europe.

From New York Times • Apr. 16, 2022

“When everything reopens, tourists will invade us again,” said Giuseppe Tagliapietra, a gondolier for 43 years.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 4, 2021

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

Then he tore away from Prosper and jumped down the steps to watch a gondolier push his boat off its mooring.

From "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke