pontoon en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /pɒnˈtuːn/
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French ponton, from Old French ponton, from Latin pontō, pontōnem (“ferryboat”), from pōns (“bridge”).
Meanings
-
A flat-bottomed boat or other floating structure used as a buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage.
Thanks to the previous experience of the chief performers, to careful preparation and rehearsal, and to perfect weather conditions, they watched in breath-bated silence the spectacle of the huge bulk moving without a hitch into position over the temporary pier caps on which it settled as water ballast was admitted to the pontoons.
1959 May 14, L. T. C. Rolt, “Centenary of the Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash”, in Railway Magazine, page 310:
- (broadly) A bridge with floating supports.
-
A box used to raise a sunken vessel.
Near-synonyms: caisson, camel, sea camel
- A float of a seaplane.
- A lighter or barge used for loading or unloading ships.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| pontoons | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
pontooning · pontoon party · tritoon · pontooner
Synonyms
pontoon bridge · sea camel · caisson · camel
Translations (41)
cmn 浮筒 (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · fi ponttoni (box used to raise a sunken vessel) · nn flytebrygge (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · fi ponttoni (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · mk понтон (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · nn flytebryggje (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · nb pongtong (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · ru поплаво́к (float of a seaplane) · ga pontún (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · nn pongtong (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · ru понто́н (box used to raise a sunken vessel) · bg понто́н (box used to raise a sunken vessel) · sv ponton (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · fr ponton (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · fi ilmatyyny (float of a seaplane) · sk pontón (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · nn pongtong (float of a seaplane) · pl ponton (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · sv ponton (box used to raise a sunken vessel) · ro ponton (box used to raise a sunken vessel) · ru понто́н (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · bg понто́н (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · pl pływak (float of a seaplane) · de Ponton (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · pt pontão (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · ga pontún (box used to raise a sunken vessel) · ro ponton (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · sq argsh (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · fr flotteur (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · ja ポンツーン (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · be панто́н (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · da ponton (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · nb pongtong (float of a seaplane) · ga pontún (float of a seaplane) · sv ponton (float of a seaplane) · hu ponton (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · cs ponton (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · es pontón (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · nb flytebrygge (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · uk понто́н (buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage) · mi kōrewa (float of a seaplane)