French word

lessive

Pronunciation

IPA/lesiv/

Meaning

  • feminine nounlaundry

Example

Je dois faire la lessive ce soir.

I have to do the laundry tonight.

Illustration for lessive (laundry)

More examples

La lessive écologique réduit l'impact sur l'environnement.

The eco-friendly detergent reduces the impact on the environment.

Core concept

Laundry gathered for washing, with cleaning product ready beside it.

Common phrases

  • faire la lessive

    do the laundry

  • lessive écologique

    eco-friendly detergent

  • lessive concentrée

    concentrated detergent

Similar words

linge: Washable clothing and fabric items such as shirts and sheets.
machine à laver: A home appliance that washes clothes using water and a rotating drum.
détergent: A liquid or powder added to the wash to remove dirt from clothes.
sèche-linge: A home appliance that dries wet clothes using warm air or heat.

Definition in French

Produit servant à laver les vêtements et, par extension, action de laver le linge.

Word origin

The French noun lessive developed from Latin lixiva through Old French, shifting from an ash-based cleaning liquid to washing and laundry detergent.

Usage tips

  • The fixed phrase faire la lessive means to do the laundry, while mettre de la lessive means to add detergent.

Other meanings

  • laundry detergentnoun

Word lists with this word