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

Cruisers who splurge on one of 76 Signature Collection suites have access to an exclusive restaurant and lounge; priority boarding and disembarkation at tender ports; complimentary laundry; upgraded stateroom amenities; and priority restaurant reservations. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026

On Instagram Threads, a girl invited families with children to come to her place to warm up and do their laundry. —Sophia Panych, Allure, 24 Feb. 2026

Meanwhile, Rose, played by Claire Romain (Cat’s Eyes), works in a laundry and dreams of a simple life. —Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2026

Here are the 10 bad laundry habits that could be ruining your clothes—and what to do instead. —Heather Bien, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 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