lavabo
[ luh-vey-boh, -vah- ]
/ ləˈveɪ boʊ, -ˈvɑ- /
noun, plural la·va·boes.
Ecclesiastical.
- the ritual washing of the celebrant's hands after the offertory in the Mass, accompanied in the Roman rite by the recitation of Psalm 26:6–12.
- the passage recited.
- the small towel or the basin used.
(in many medieval monasteries) a large stone basin equipped with a number of small orifices through which water flowed, used for the performance of ablutions.
a washbowl with a spigot-equipped water tank above, both mounted on a wall: now often used for decoration or as a planter.
Nearby words
Origin of lavabo
First recorded in 1855–60, lavabo is from the Latin word lavābō: I shall wash
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for lavabo
British Dictionary definitions for lavabo
lavabo
/ (ləˈveɪbəʊ) /
noun plural -boes or -bos mainly RC Church
- the ritual washing of the celebrant's hands after the offertory at Mass
- (as modifier)lavabo basin; lavabo towel
another name for washbasin
a trough for washing in a convent or monastery
Word Origin for lavabo
C19: from Latin: I shall wash, the opening of Psalm 26:6
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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