Definitions
01clothes to be washed
A2 · Elementary Uncountable noun
n. clothes, sheets, and towels that need to be washed, are being washed, or have just been washed.
n. items of clothing, bed linen, or towels that require laundering, are currently in the process, or have been recently cleaned.
“I need to do the laundry because I have no clean socks left.”
“He left a massive pile of dirty laundry on the floor instead of putting it in the basket before he left for the weekend.”
Usage
Usually uncountable when referring to the pile of clothes.
02a place for washing
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a room or a business where clothes are washed and dried.
n. a commercial establishment or a specific room within a household or institution dedicated to laundering.
“The apartment building has a shared laundry in the basement.”
“The hotel laundry handles hundreds of sheets and towels every morning to ensure the rooms are ready for new guests by noon.”
Synonyms
03illegal money business
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law Informal · Technical
n. a business used to hide the fact that money was earned illegally.
n. a front organisation or business used to facilitate money laundering by concealing the origins of illicit funds.
“The police suspected the small shop was actually a laundry for criminal money.”
“Investigators discovered that the car wash served as a sophisticated laundry, processing millions in illicit gains through a series of shell companies.”
Teaching tip
This is a metaphorical extension of 'cleaning' dirty money; in formal legal contexts, use 'money laundering' instead.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English lavendrie, from Old French lavanderie, from Latin lavandaria. See launder.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/laundry
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0