ENGLISH
REFERENCE

shampoo

n. · v.
US //ʃæmˈpu// UK //ʃæmpˈuː// sham·poo
  1. 1 hair soap (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    a liquid soap used specifically for washing your hair.

    a liquid surfactant preparation used for washing the hair and scalp.

    Example

    I need to buy some more shampoo because the bottle is almost empty.

    Example

    The stylist recommended a sulfate-free shampoo to help maintain the vibrancy of the client's new hair colour.
    • hair wash
  2. 2 the act of washing (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the act of washing your hair or a carpet with shampoo.

    an instance of cleansing the hair, a carpet, or upholstery using a specialized detergent.

    Example

    Your hair looks much better after a good shampoo.

    Example

    The professional carpet cleaning service includes a deep shampoo and steam treatment to remove stubborn stains.
  3. 3 champagne (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Humorous Slang British English

    a funny or casual way to say champagne.

    a humorous, slang term for champagne, derived from the phonetic similarity and the bubbly nature of the drink.

    Example

    We celebrated the promotion by opening a bottle of shampoo.

    Example

    After the awards ceremony, the cast spent the evening celebrating with plenty of expensive shampoo.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a very specific British slang pun; learners should use it only in highly informal, playful contexts to avoid confusion with actual hair products.
  4. 4 to wash hair or carpets (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to wash something, like hair or a rug, using shampoo.

    to wash the hair or a textile surface with a surfactant. Often used transitively with the object being cleaned.

    Example

    She shampoos her hair every morning before work.

    Example

    The maintenance crew will shampoo the office carpets over the weekend to ensure they are dry by Monday morning.
Origin

From Hindi चाँपो (cā̃po) / चांपो (cāmpo), imperative form of चाँपना (cā̃pnā) / चांपना (cāmpnā, “to press, knead”), mid 18th c.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 20, 2026