WordofTheDay.US

pontoon

/pɒnˈtuːn/ noun

Latin root: pontō Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about pontoon at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. (nautical) a floating structure (as a flat-bottomed boat) that serves as a dock or to support a bridge.
  2. A float supporting a seaplane.

Origin

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

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)