pon·toon

1 [pon-toon]
noun
1.
Military. a boat or some other floating structure used as one of the supports for a temporary bridge over a river.
2.
a float for a derrick, landing stage, etc.
3.
Nautical. a float for raising a sunken or deeply laden vessel in the water; a camel or caisson.
4.
a seaplane float.
Also, pon·ton [pon-tn] .


Origin:
1585–95; < French ponton < Latin pontōn- (stem of pontō) flat-bottomed boat, punt

00:10
Pontoon is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
Dictionary.com Unabridged

pon·toon

2 [pon-toon] .
noun British.
the card game twenty-one.

Origin:
1915–20; alteration of French vingt-et-un twenty-one

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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World English Dictionary
pontoon1 (pɒnˈtuːn) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  a.  a watertight float or vessel used where buoyancy is required in water, as in supporting a bridge, in salvage work, or where a temporary or mobile structure is required in military operations
 b.  (as modifier): a pontoon bridge
2.  nautical a float, often inflatable, for raising a vessel in the water
 
[C17: from French ponton, from Latin pontō punt, floating bridge, from pōns bridge]

pontoon2 (pɒnˈtuːn) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  twenty-one, Also called: vingt-et-un a gambling game in which players try to obtain card combinations worth 21 points
2.  (in this game) the combination of an ace with a ten or court card when dealt to a player as his first two cards
 
[C20: probably an alteration of French vingt-et-un, literally: twenty-one]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

pontoon
1676, from Fr. pontoon, from M.Fr. ponton, from L. pontonem (nom. ponto) "flat-bottomed boat," from pons "bridge." Pontoon bridge is first recorded 1778.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
The lake allows boats and the marina rents fishing boats and pontoon boats.
Water equipment rentals--such as pontoon boats and ski boats--are available
  through the hotel.
Guests can rent pontoon, fishing and motor boats from the camp office.
You'll find everything from small skiffs to larger barges and pontoon tour
  boats.
Images for pontoon
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