washcloth

[ wosh-klawth, -kloth, wawsh- ]

/ ˈwɒʃˌklɔθ, -ˌklɒθ, ˈwɔʃ- /

noun, plural wash·cloths [wosh-klawth z, -kloth z, -klawths, -kloths, wawsh-] /ˈwɒʃˌklɔðz, -ˌklɒðz, -ˌklɔθs, -ˌklɒθs, ˈwɔʃ-/.

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

Words nearby washcloth

washateria, washaway, washbasin, washboard, washbowl, washcloth, washday, washdown, washed out, washed up, washed-out

Origin of washcloth

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

Also called facecloth, washrag.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Examples from the Web for washcloth

Is there a more dreadful sensation than that of your stomach wringing itself out like a washcloth?
Why My Norovirus Panic Makes Me Sick|Lizzie Crocker|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I took a washcloth, made it really hot, put it over my chest, and prayed, ‘Please don’t let them grow any bigger!
Kim Kardashian’s Motherhood Guide|Michael Solomon|January 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
A washcloth can be made thus by weaving it of narrow pieces of cheesecloth.
Home Occupations for Boys and Girls|Bertha Johnston
When I blew the last note, I was wrung out as a washcloth, but I summoned the energy to zip over to the hatch and block it.
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom|Cory Doctorow

A washstand should be furnished with a sponge or washcloth, and a small towel, for wiping the basin after using it.
A Treatise on Domestic Economy|Catherine Esther Beecher
After we had finished with the basin of hot water, Mrs. Wong took advantage of it, having found her own washcloth in the meantime.
Have We No Rights?|Mabel Williamson
Hanging on a wooden peg driven into a hole, drilled in the cabin's wall, were a clean towel and washcloth.
The Spell of the White Sturgeon|James Arthur Kjelgaard

British Dictionary definitions for washcloth

washcloth

/ (ˈwɒʃˌklɒθ) /

noun

another name for dishcloth

US and Canadian a small piece of cloth used to wash the face and handsAlso called (in Britain and certain other countries): face cloth, flannel

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012