Laundry
/ˈlɔːn.dri/noun
Clothes, sheets, and other fabrics that are washed or the act/place of washing them.
Did you know?Laundry comes from Old French *lavandier* / *lavanderie*, ultimately from Latin *lavare* meaning “to wash,” the same root behind words like *lavatory* and *lavation*—a reminder that cleansing has always been a word of action and ceremony.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
lavare
“to wash”
Late Latin
Late Latin
lavandaria
“washing place; things to be washed”
Old French
Old French
lavanderie
“place for washing clothes; washing business”
Middle English
English
launderie
“washing place; washing of clothes”
Modern English
English
laundry
“washable clothes; the washing of clothes”