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

The chemical elements can leave a bitter, metallic taste and stain laundry and household appliances. —Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 17 Oct. 2025

Cotton Incorporated’s market research found that, while consumer concern is high, a notable gap exists in understanding the direct link between laundry, synthetic clothing and microplastic shedding. —Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 16 Oct. 2025

The first laundry to open in Milwaukee was the Wing Wau Laundry in 1874. —Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 15 Oct. 2025

Senior year is a chance to increase responsibility and build skills surrounding independence, such as doing laundry, cooking and managing money to be ready to do it without your guidance. —Rachel Spector, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025

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