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

In an effort to attract and retain talent, companies have introduced unusual benefits from on-site laundry facilities to in-office rock climbing walls, according to a recent report from the online language learning marketplace Preply. —Madeline Fitzgerald, Quartz, 15 Aug. 2024

For many years, my dear sister has had a habit of leaving her wet laundry in the machine for a long time before moving it to the dryer. —Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2024

In fact, Davis says she's seen care providers do it all, from a last-minute homework check to starting laundry, unloading the dishwasher, revving up the Crockpot, or even doing a grocery store run. —Melissa Willets, Parents, 14 Aug. 2024

Do your laundry before going to bed and hang clothes to dry overnight. —Outside Online, 13 Aug. 2024

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