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hand-washing

American  
[hand-wosh-ing, -wawsh‐] / ˈhændˌwɒʃ ɪŋ, -ˌwɔʃ‐ /
Or handwashing

noun

  1. the act or activity of laundering something by hand.

  2. the act or activity of washing one’s hands.


Etymology

Origin of hand-washing

First recorded in 1790–95; hand ( def. ) + washing ( def. )

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:

The FDA made recommendations, including that Taylor improve hand-washing procedures and encourage ill employees to submit stool samples for analysis to help determine the region’s risk for cyclospora.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 18, 2026

A dirty floor, inadequate hand-washing facilities in some areas and broken equipment posing a potential contamination risk were also identified in the inspectors' report.

From BBC Feb. 11, 2026

Last month, inspectors found what appeared to be mold and mildew around the hand-washing sinks used by workers preparing ready-to-eat meats, CBS News reported.

From Salon Sep. 18, 2024

As the pandemic fades, many people have abandoned the basic tools for fighting the coronavirus — masks, physical distancing, hand sanitizer and aggressive hand-washing.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 2, 2024

I waited, listening to footsteps come and go, to the water-sounds of hand-washing and flushing.

From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin

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