Dishsoap

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A liquid cleaning product used to wash dirt and grease off plates, pots, and cutlery by hand
2. Soapy detergent formulated to cut through food residue and grease on crockery and kitchenware
3. A concentrated cleaning liquid that lathers in water and removes grime from tableware and cooking utensils

Etymology: "Dishsoap" is simply the closed-up spelling of "dish soap," a compound of "dish" and "soap." "Dish" comes from Old English "disc," a flat plate or vessel for food, which is ultimately borrowed from Latin "discus," the same source as "disc." "Soap" comes from Old English "sape," which is related to the Germanic words for the substance, and its earlier history is uncertain. The compound describes the product by its purpose: soap used for washing dishes. The open two-word form and the closed one-word form are both in use, and the closed form is a variant of the same term rather than a separate word.

Synonyms: dish soap, washing up liquid