pontoon

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English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pɒnˈtuːn/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -uːn

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Middle French ponton, from Old French ponton, from Latin pontō, pontōnem (ferryboat), from pōns (bridge).

Noun

pontoon (plural pontoons)

  1. A flat-bottomed boat or other floating structure used as a buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage.
  2. (by extension) A bridge with floating supports.
    Synonym: pontoon bridge
  3. A box used to raise a sunken vessel.
  4. A float of a seaplane.
  5. A lighter or barge used for loading or unloading ships.
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

Probably from vingt-un, an obsolete variant of vingt-et-un (twenty-one), from French.

Noun

pontoon (uncountable)

  1. (card games) A card game in which the object is to obtain cards whose value adds up to, or nearly to, 21 but not exceed it.
    Synonym: vingt-et-un

See also