laundromat
/ˈloːn.dɹə.mæt/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.66 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
3
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A self-service laundry facility with (traditionally) coin-operated (which now may use other per-load payment methods) washing machines, dryers, and sometimes ironing or pressing machines, open to the public for washing clothing and household cloth items.
Australian usage; Canadian usage; New Zealand usage; American usage
noun
Example Sentences
- "In Virginia, gone are the weekly outings to Walmart to stock up on provisions; to El Ranchito, the Mexican convenience store, to buy shell-shaped concha pastries; and to the laundromat to machine wash heavily soiled garments."
- "The Russian laundromat was soon nicknamed the Moldovan laundromat, as it centred on transactions between Russia and the small, poor country locked between Ukraine and Romania."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *lewh₃-der. Proto-Italic *lowō Latin lavo Latin lavareder. Latin lavandarium Latin lavandaria Old French lavanderiebor. Middle English lavendrie English laundry Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew Proto-Indo-European *tó- Proto-Hellenic *autós Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewder. Ancient Greek αὖ (aû) Ancient Greek τόν (tón) Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós) Ancient Greek αὐτο- (auto-) Proto-Indo-European *men- Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *mn̥tós Proto-Hellenic *mətós Ancient Greek αὐτόμᾰτος (autómătos) Ancient Greek αὐτόμᾰτον (autómăton)der. Classical Latin automatum New Latin automaticusbor. English automatic blend English laundromat Blend of laundry + automatic. From Laundromat, (former) trademark (1940s) of Westinghouse Electric Corporation for its washing machines, coined by Westinghouse publicist George Edward Pendray.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈloːn.dɹə.mæt/
- British English: /ˈlɔːndɹəʊˌmæt/
Usage
- Australian usage
- Canadian usage
- New Zealand usage
- American usage