washer

American  

[wosh-er, waw-sher] / ˈwɒʃ ər, ˈwɔ ʃər /

noun

1. a person or thing that washes.

2. washing machine.

3. a flat ring or perforated piece of leather, rubber, metal, etc., used to give tightness to a joint, to prevent leakage, to distribute pressure, etc., as under the head of a nut or bolt.

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washer British  

/ ˈwɒʃə /

noun

1. a person or thing that washes

2. a flat ring or drilled disc of metal used under the head of a bolt or nut to spread the load when tightened

3. any flat ring of rubber, felt, metal, etc, used to provide a seal under a nut or in a tap or valve seat

4. See washing machine

5. chemical engineering a device for cleaning or washing gases or vapours; scrubber

6. a face cloth; flannel

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Other Word Forms

• washerless adjective

Etymology

Origin of washer

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; wash, -er ¹

Example Sentences

Another plane slid off the deck the next month when its landing cable snapped, because sailors exhausted by weeks of combat likely left off a washer that held it in place.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

The space also has a dishwasher plus a washer and dryer.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 21, 2025

Methanol is an industrial chemical found in antifreeze and windscreen washer fluid.

From BBC • Oct. 21, 2025

“The apartments were so much more expensive than what I was used to paying, and they had no parking or a washer and dryer,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2025

Of course, our truck doesn’t have either water or washer fluid.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman