Meaning & use

Caissons

noun·Advanced

Last updated

Large watertight chambers used to allow construction work below the waterline, as when building bridge piers or dams.

See it in a sentence

Workers descended into the caissons to lay the foundation for the bridge piers.

Engineers designed the caissons to withstand immense underwater pressure.

A note on using this word

From French 'caisson,' meaning 'large box,' related to 'case.' The word also historically referred to two-wheeled wagons used to carry artillery ammunition.

Words with a similar meaning

cofferdams

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Another way to use it

2. noun

A two-wheeled vehicle historically used to carry artillery ammunition.

The caissons rolled through the parade in honor of the fallen soldiers.

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