laundry

noun

laun·​dry ˈlȯn-drē 

ˈlän-

plural laundries

1

a

: a room for doing the family wash

b

: a commercial laundering establishment

2

: clothes or linens that have been or are to be laundered

Examples of laundry in a Sentence

There's a pile of dirty laundry in the laundry basket.

The patients' sheets are sent regularly to the hospital laundry.

Recent Examples on the Web

Tips on laundry, managing diaper changes and sterilizing bottles. — Jolie Kerr, Washington Post, 26 July 2026

Unlike some traditional bounce-around vacations, a cruise ship is essentially an inclusive floating resort, complete with restaurants, entertainment, laundry services, toiletries, and countless other amenities already onboard. — Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 23 July 2026

Purchases allegedly made by Burke under aliases also included cadaver bags, heavy-duty laundry bags, chain saws, a shovel and a fireproof mat, Byers testified. — Madeline Morrison, NBC news, 22 July 2026

Errant thoughts will still arise (the laundry, the email, the certainty that your opening scene is a disaster) but in a mindful state, those thoughts are observable. — April Dávila, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing laundry

• air one's dirty laundry
• dirty laundry
• do the/one's laundry
• laundry list
• load of laundry

Kids Definition

laundry

noun

laun·​dry ˈlȯn-drē 

ˈlän-

plural laundries

1

: clothes or linens that have been or are to be laundered

2

: a place where laundering is done

Etymology

from an obsolete word launder (noun) "one who washes clothes," derived from early French lavandier (or lavandiere) "a man (or woman) who washes clothes," from Latin lavandus "needing to be washed," from lavare "to wash" — related to lavatory, lavish, lotion