washcloth

American  

[wosh-klawth, -kloth, wawsh-] / ˈwɒʃˌklɔθ, -ˌklɒθ, ˈwɔʃ- /

noun

plural

washcloths

1. a small cloth for washing one's face or body.

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washcloth British  

/ ˈwɒʃˌklɒθ /

noun

1. another name for dishcloth

2. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): face cloth.   flannel.  a small piece of cloth used to wash the face and hands

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Etymology

Origin of washcloth

An Americanism dating back to 1900–05; wash + cloth

Example Sentences

Less than a day after an exhausting six-and-a-half hour, 18-inning victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, the Dodgers curled up in the corner with a cold washcloth while the Jays smothered them with it.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 28, 2025

“Because there’s so much virus in the blood, you don’t necessarily see blood on a towel or washcloth or toothbrush or razor or nail clipper,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

You can buy an ice roller for your face, or even just use a paper towel or washcloth.

From National Geographic • Feb. 21, 2024

If you want to clean your ears, do so by gently wiping a washcloth on the entrance of the canal to clear away any wax that has made its way out, Schwartz told me.

From Slate • Oct. 15, 2023

He remembered once when he’d been sick with fever, and Mami had pressed a cold washcloth against his forehead and held his hand until he’d fallen asleep.

From "The Dead and the Gone" by Susan Beth Pfeffer