Laundry Basket Definition, Uses & Examples

Meaning 1：basket for dirty laundry (Laundry Basket)

Laundry Basket 🔊

/ˈlɔːndri ˈbæskɪt/

A container used to hold dirty clothes before washing them.

Woven laundry basket filled with colorful clothes on bedroom floor

basket for dirty laundry 🔊

➕

/ˈbæskɪt fɔːr ˈdɜːrti ˈlɔːndri/

A basket or container specifically used for storing soiled clothes and linens before they are washed.

📁 Category：Objects & Materials 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Laundry from Old French 'lavandierie' (things to wash) + basket from Latin 'bascauda' (wicker container).

💡 Mnemonic

Picture a 'L' for laundry and a 'B' for basket: a pair that holds your dirty clothes until wash day.

📖 Example

After changing clothes, I threw my dirty socks into the laundry basket in the corner of the room. 🔊 After changing clothes, I threw my dirty socks into the laundry basket in the corner of the room.

🔗 Collocations

fill the laundry basket – to put dirty clothes into the laundry basket

laundry basket full – the laundry basket is completely filled with clothes

empty the laundry basket – to take the dirty clothes out of the laundry basket and put them in the washing machine

🔄 Synonyms

hamper (n.) – a large basket, usually with a lid, for holding dirty laundry

clothes basket (n.) – a basket for holding clothes, especially dirty ones

linen basket (n.) – a basket for holding household linens and laundry

📖 Cultural Story

The term combines 'laundry' (Latin lavanda, things to be washed) with 'basket' (Old English 'basket'). Laundry baskets became common household items in the 19th century as indoor washing grew.