laundromat

laundromat — noun

1. a public shop where people do their own laundry in shared washers and dryers

1.nounB1
Definition

a public shop where people do their own laundry in shared washers and dryers

Example

Yumi spent Sunday evening at the laundromat after her old washer broke.

spend time at the laundromat

The laundromat near campus stays open late for students without machines at home.

laundromat near campus, stays open late

Common collocations
  • neighborhood laundromat
  • go to the laundromat
  • laundromat washer
  • laundromat dryer
  • open a laundromat
Synonyms
  • launderette

    the usual British English word for the same kind of business

  • self-service laundry

    a descriptive phrase that emphasizes using the machines yourself

  • washateria

    a regional and somewhat old-fashioned North American term

Grammar Patterns

singular noun

Usage Note

Usually refers to a public business rather than a laundry room inside a home or apartment building. In British English, launderette is the more usual equivalent.

Common Mistakes

I washed my blankets in the downtown laundry room.
I washed my blankets at the downtown laundromat.
A laundromat is a public business, not a private room inside a home or building.
The laundromat staff cleaned my suit for me.
I used the machines at the laundromat to wash my clothes.
A laundromat is usually self-service, unlike a dry cleaner.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Laundromat, launderette, laundry room, and dry cleaner all relate to washing clothes, but they are not interchangeable. Laundromat is the usual North American word for a public place where customers wash and dry their own clothes in shared machines. Launderette is the British equivalent. A laundry room is usually a private room in a home, apartment building, or hotel, so it does not suggest a business. A dry cleaner is a shop where staff clean clothes for you, often using methods for delicate fabrics that should not go in a normal washer. If you carry a basket, use the machines yourself, and wait for the cycle to finish, laundromat is the right word.

laundromat ↗launderette ↗laundry roomdry cleaner

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • go to the laundromat
  • wait at the laundromat

Prepositions

Etymology

English (brand name)

Laundromat began as a North American brand name for a self-service laundry. The form blends laundry with automat, a word once used for coin-operated self-service businesses. Over time the trademark became a common noun, so people now use laundromat for any public shop where they wash and dry clothes in shared machines.