laundry
UK[ˈlɔːndri]US[ˈlɔːndri]
n
The process of washing clothes, sheets, and other things made of cloth.
n
Clothes, sheets, etc. that need to be washed or that have just been washed.
n
A place or business where clothes, etc. are washed and ironed.
Etymology
The word 'laundry' has a clear and practical lineage centered on the act of washing. It entered English in the 14th century from the Anglo-French 'lavendrie', which denoted a place for washing. This French term derived from the feminine form of the Old French 'lavandier', meaning 'washer', which itself traces back to the Latin verb 'lavāre', 'to wash'. This Latin root is prolific, appearing in related English words like 'lavatory', 'lave', and 'lava' (via the idea of something that flows). Thus, 'laundry' evolved from a term for the location where washing is done to encompass the action itself, the items to be washed, and the commercial establishment, all logically connected to its foundational meaning of cleansing with water.
Analysis
The word is a simplex noun derived from the Middle English 'lavendrie', which itself came from Old French. Its core root is the Latin verb 'lavāre', meaning 'to wash'. The modern spelling 'laundry' does not contain separable, productive morphemes in contemporary English.
Examples
I need to do the laundry this afternoon.
She sorted the laundry into whites and colors.
He took his shirts to the laundry on the corner.