# shampoo

/ʃæmˈpu/ (US) · /ʃæmpˈuː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shampoo
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. hair soap

noun · CEFR A1

a liquid soap used specifically for washing your hair.

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

- I need to buy some more shampoo because the bottle is almost empty.
- The stylist recommended a sulfate-free shampoo to help maintain the vibrancy of the client's new hair colour.

### 2. the act of washing

noun · CEFR B1

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

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

- Your hair looks much better after a good shampoo.
- The professional carpet cleaning service includes a deep shampoo and steam treatment to remove stubborn stains.

### 3. champagne

noun · CEFR C2 · Humorous · Slang · British English

a funny or casual way to say champagne.

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

- We celebrated the promotion by opening a bottle of shampoo.
- After the awards ceremony, the cast spent the evening celebrating with plenty of expensive shampoo.

Teaching 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. to wash hair or carpets

verb · CEFR A2

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

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

- She shampoos her hair every morning before work.
- The maintenance crew will shampoo the office carpets over the weekend to ensure they are dry by Monday morning.

## Examples

- I need to buy more shampoo for the shower.
- She massaged the shampoo into her hair until it formed a thick white foam.
- While many commercial shampoos rely on synthetic sulfates to create lather, organic alternatives often use plant-derived cleansers that are gentler on sensitive skin.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.