drip-dry

Word family

• drip-dried
  adjectiveB2
• drip-drying
  nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Drip-dry, wash-and-wear, non-iron, and easy-care all describe fabrics that need little or no ironing, but each has a different emphasis. Drip-dry focuses on the drying method (hanging the garment wet) as the reason it stays smooth — it is the oldest of these terms, dating from the 1950s. Wash-and-wear is a mainly American term for clothes that look good after machine washing and drying with no pressing needed. Non-iron is a modern label used by clothing brands, suggesting the garment can be worn straight from the dryer. Easy-care is the broadest term, covering any fabric that needs less maintenance than traditional cotton or linen. For example, a drip-dry shirt must be hung up wet to stay neat, while a non-iron shirt can go in the tumble dryer and still come out smooth.

Common collocations

Etymology

Drip-dry is a compound word formed from 'drip' (to fall in drops of liquid) and 'dry' (free from moisture). It was first used in the 1950s, when new synthetic fabrics such as nylon and polyester became popular and manufacturers wanted a simple label for clothes that could be washed and hung up wet without needing to be ironed.