washtub

American

[wosh-tuhb, wawsh-] / ˈwɒʃˌtʌb, ˈwɔʃ- /

noun

a tub for use in washing clothes, linens, etc.

washtub British

/ ˈwɒʃˌtʌb /

noun

a tub or large container used for washing anything, esp clothes

"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

Etymology

Origin of washtub

First recorded in 1595–1605; wash + tub

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:

washtub

He would hold little Patti above a steaming washtub to help her breathe.

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2025

Old Salt Farm shares step-by-step instructions on how to create a washtub planter perfect for holding an array of pretty flowers or even an herb garden.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 30, 2021

The pan was roughly the size of a No. 2 washtub and, in time, was burnished almost gold by the rendering fat of so many slowly roasting, lovely birds.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 13, 2018

He poured a jug of water over the fire in the washtub grill, and crouched to stare into the embers.

From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2017

Suddenly Hannah noticed that one of the camp babies was still cradled in a washtub.

From "The Devil's Arithmetic" by Jane Yolen

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023