shampoo
Americanverb (used with object)
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to wash (the head or hair), especially with a cleaning preparation that does not leave a soap film.
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to clean (rugs, upholstery, or the like) with a special preparation.
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Archaic. to massage.
noun
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the act of shampooing.
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a preparation used for shampooing, especially one that does not leave a soap film.
noun
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a liquid or cream preparation of soap or detergent to wash the hair
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a similar preparation for washing carpets, etc
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the process of shampooing
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have shampooedperfect
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has shampooedperfect 3rd person singular
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am shampooingprogressive 1st person singular
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is shampooingprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been shampooingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are shampooingprogressive
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shampoossingular 3rd person
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have been shampooingperfect progressive
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shampooingparticiple
Past
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had shampooedperfect
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had been shampooingperfect progressive
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were shampooingprogressive plural
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was shampooingprogressive singular
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shampooedsimple
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shampooedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of shampoo
1755–65; earlier champo to massage < an inflected form of Hindi cāmpnā literally, to press
Explanation
Got dirty hair? Get yourself some shampoo and jump in the shower! Shampoo is soap made especially for washing hair. Use shampoo for the liquid soap itself, or for the act of using it: "I don't have time for a shampoo, so I'll wear my favorite cowboy hat." It's also a verb: "I love the way my hair smells after I shampoo it!" You can also shampoo a carpet—or a dog. Shampoo originally meant "to massage," stemming from a Hindi root, champo, "press or knead muscles."
Vocabulary lists containing shampoo
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Soon I was using prescription shampoo, two topical serums, monthly steroid scalp injections, and a pricey red-light therapy cap that made me look like an alien.
From Slate • May 23, 2026
A bottle of shampoo, cold medicine, a bouquet, a midnight snack, or even diapers can now arrive at an apartment door in roughly the time it takes to watch a sitcom.
From Barron's • May 23, 2026
"He was giving me cuddles when I put shampoo in his hair."
From BBC • May 6, 2026
Recalling his early days in the city, he said his budget for food and personal care items, like shampoo, was $30 a week.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
So, sometimes, even if the legal beautician is not as adept as Violet, a regular customer will sneak to a shop just for the pleasure of a comfy shampoo.
From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
