noun
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an electrically operated machine for washing, rinsing, and drying dishes, cutlery, etc
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a person who washes dishes, etc
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of dishwasher
Explanation
If you work as a dishwasher, your job involves cleaning the glasses, plates, bowls, and silverware at a restaurant or cafe. You're also a dishwasher if you volunteer to wash the dishes after dinner at home. Some dishwashers scrub pots, pans, and dishes by hand, while others simply load up the other kind of dishwasher — a machine that automatically cleans dishes. While a human dishwasher has to scrub to get the dishes clean, a mechanical dishwasher sprays extremely hot water to do the same job. This new and improved type of dishwasher was invented in the late 19th century.
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.
See Examples For:
One robot tidied cupboards and wiped surfaces, while others put orange juice and milk in the fridge, threw away empty packaging and loaded the dishwasher.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
I like to save on time and kitchen clean-up because I don’t have a dishwasher, so store-bought is my preferred option.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
He got a job as a dishwasher at an Indian restaurant in Beverly Hills.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026
Along with purchases, the new platform could help customers with things like dishwasher repairs, or recommend supplies needed for events.
From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026
Grandma, who was at the sink rinsing dishes to stack in the dishwasher, stopped and looked at us.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
They include steel, aluminum, clothing, smartphones and other electronics, fish, dishwashers, washing machines, and stoves.
From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026
But Bitzer said the deal gave Whirlpool a new appliance to pair with dishwashers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Ovens, hobs, tumble dryers, washing machines and dishwashers can all make indoor spaces warmer.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026
Running washing machines and dishwashers with full loads.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
I carry trays of dirty dishes from the dining room back into the kitchen so the dishwashers can spray and scrub them clean.
From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz
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.
