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

A little routine care not only keeps laundry smelling fresh but also helps your machine last longer. —Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025

Inside, there’s laundry, a kitchenette, and a half bath. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 11 Sep. 2025

So, the Unstopables collection really takes laundry to another level. —Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 11 Sep. 2025

There was more laundry thrown on the field against Washington in Week 1 than the Commanders experienced in all but one game last season. —David Aldridge, New York Times, 8 Sep. 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