Washables

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Items that can be cleaned with water and soap without damage
2. Fabrics or materials specifically designed to withstand multiple washings without losing quality
3. A category of products that are safe for washing in a machine or by hand and retain their functionality

Etymology: The plural "washables" is simply the noun form of "washable," which is an adjective meaning able to be washed without damage. Its parts are easy to trace: "wash" comes from Old English "wascan," a word shared with the other Germanic languages, and the ending "-able" arrived through Old French from Latin "-ābilis," a suffix meaning "able to be" or "capable of being" something. English had the suffix in Middle English, so "washable" was built from those two parts within English itself. The noun use is the modern step. Once "washable" was in general use as an adjective, speakers began using it on its own to mean the garments and textiles that could go through a wash, and the plural form "washables" named a whole category of such items. Shops and laundry labels now use it most often for lighter clothing, such as underwear, blouses and children's wear, that can be laundered at home.

Synonyms: launderables, cleanables, durables, machine-washable items, wash-friendly

Antonyms: non-washables, delicates, dry-clean only, unwashables, fragiles