shampoo

1 of 2

verb

sham·​poo sham-ˈpü 

shampooed; shampooing; shampoos

transitive verb

1

archaic : massage

2

a

: to wash (something, such as hair) with soap and water or with a special preparation

b

: to wash the hair of

shampooer noun

shampoo

2 of 2

noun

plural shampoos

1

: an act or instance of shampooing

2

: a preparation used in shampooing

Examples of shampoo in a Sentence

Verb

She shampoos her hair every morning.

We need to shampoo the rug.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

How to shampoo right A longer leave-on once a week might feel like an advanced move, but according to the Ki. —Ana Morales, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026

Anna asks as her mother sits in the bathtub on a stool shampooing her daughter’s hair. —Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 31 Jan. 2026

Noun

Hotor Travel Toiletry Bag Another must-have travel organizer belongs to the $10 Hotor Travel Toiletry Bag, which makes storing skincare, shampoo, makeup, and toothbrushes a breeze. —Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026

Deep clean your shower once a week to keep residue and mold from accumulating, making sure to clean your shower drain and shampoo and conditioner bottles. —Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 7 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Hindi & Urdu cā̃po, imperative of cā̃pnā to press, massage

First Known Use

Verb

1762, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for shampoo

• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup
• bijou

Kids Definition

shampoo

1 of 2 verb

sham·​poo sham-ˈpü 

: to wash (as the hair) with soap and water or with a special preparation

shampooer noun

shampoo

2 of 2 noun

1

: an act or instance of shampooing

2

: a cleaner used in shampooing