Launderable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Fit for washing in a manner that does not cause deterioration
2. Capable of being cleaned through washing without suffering harm
3. Able to undergo washing processes safely without losing quality

Etymology: "Launderable" is about as transparent as English compounds get: it is simply "launder" with the suffix "-able," meaning capable of being done or fit for a given action. Here the action is washing clothes, so the word describes fabric that can go through the laundry without harm. The verb it rests on, "launder," comes from the Latin "lavanderia," the plural of "lavandus," meaning things to be washed, which is related to the Latin verb "lavare," to wash. The sense of cleaning clothes came first, and the word has long been used for the process itself, which is why it was a natural base for a suffix describing what can survive it. The suffix "-able" comes from Latin "-abilis" through Old French, and it attaches freely to verbs in English, so "launderable" is a straightforward formation rather than a borrowed term.

Synonyms: washable, cleanable, removable

Antonyms: dirty, unclean