Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “gondola” come from?

Gondola comes from Italian gondola, from Venetian góndoła, from Ancient Greek κοντούρα, from Ancient Greek οὐρά meaning tail, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱent-.

gondola (English): A small long, narrow boat with a high prow and...

Definitions

  1. A small long, narrow boat with a high prow and...

Ancestry of “gondola”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Italiangondolagondola; nacelle; pod
2Venetiangóndołagondola
3Greekκοντούραthe finish of a design; outline
4Italiancontornocontour, outline; vegetables; first-person...
5Frenchcontourcontour
6Frenchcontournerto circumvent, to bypass, to skirt around; to...
7Vulgar Latincontornare—
8Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
9Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
10Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
11Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
12Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
13Middle Englishkyt—
14Germankitt—
15Old High Germankuti—
16Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
17Proto-Germanickweduzresin
18Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷet- →