noun
Zamboni
zam-BOH-nee
noun
1
A machine that resurfaces ice rinks by shaving, cleaning, and re-flooding the surface with a thin layer of water.
"The crowd waited as the Zamboni smoothed the ice between periods."
"The rink closes for ten minutes while the Zamboni does its rounds."
How to Use Zamboni
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe vehicle that cleans and smooths an ice rink between skating sessions.
Common mistake
Originally a trademark — writers often lowercase it now that it's become a generic term for any ice-resurfacing machine.
Word Forms
Zambonis plural
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The crowd waited as the _____ smoothed the ice between periods.
Etymology
Named after Frank J. Zamboni, the American inventor who built the first ice-resurfacing machine; his brand name became the everyday word for the machine itself.