launderette

noun laun·der·ette \ ˌlȯn-də-ˈret , ˌlän- \

variants: or less commonly laundrette play \ˌlȯn-ˈdret, ˌlän-\

Definition of launderette

: a self-service laundry

See launderette defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of launderette from the Web

Despite its relatively strict anti-money-laundering regulations, London is a favoured financial launderette for European gangsters.

— The Economist, "Gangsters’ paradiseBrexit presents new opportunities for organised crime," 24 Jan. 2018
In 1967, the business district in the Haight looked like most mid-century American main streets: drug stores and barbershop poles, Coca-Cola signs in the window of the launderette.

— Longreads, "The Hippies Who Hated the Summer of Love," 7 Aug. 2017
Here’s a look at scenes at various polling stations across the U.K.—set up in pubs, launderettes, mobile homes, and other quirky locations—as the British people choose their next leader.

— tom hall, Bloomberg.com, "In Pictures: The U.K. Votes," 8 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'launderette.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.