washerwoman

[ wosh-er-woom-uhn, waw-sher- ]

noun

, plural wash·er·wom·en.

1. a woman who washes clothes, linens, etc., for hire; laundress.

washerwoman

/ ˈwɒʃəˌwʊmən /

noun

1. a person who washes clothes for a living

Gender Note

See -woman.

Word History and Origins

Origin of washerwoman¹

First recorded in 1625–35; washer + -woman

Example Sentences

At the foundry, Rhodes-Pitts helped model the form for another bronze, “Last Garment,” being shown in Venice — a washerwoman, bent over and kneading a garment in a reflecting pool.

From New York Times

June Brown, who has died at the age of 95, won her place in British hearts playing the chain-smoking washerwoman, Dot Cotton in EastEnders.

From BBC

She cited a statue of nude washerwoman in Bologna dating to 2001, as well as a statue of a scantily clad gleaner unveiled last year.

From New York Times

Flute, clarinet and violin playing with no vibrato are as pale white in timbre as the washerwoman’s arms they describe.

From Los Angeles Times

McCarty worked for 75 years as a washerwoman and donated the majority of her life savings to the university after her death in 1999 at the age of 91.

From Washington Times