white goods

American  

plural noun

1. household goods, as bed sheets, tablecloths, and towels, formerly bleached and finished in white but now often patterned and colored.

2. bleached goods, especially cotton or linen fabrics.

3. large household appliances, as refrigerators, stoves, and washing machines.

4. alcoholic liquors that are manufactured without color, as vodka, gin, and tequila.

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white goods British  

plural noun

1. marketing large household appliances, such as refrigerators, cookers Compare brown goods

2. household linen such as sheets, towels, tablecloths, etc

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Etymology

Origin of white goods

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

white goods

Lastly, durable goods, including cars, electrical appliances, white goods and furniture, have a lead time of about 3.5 quarters.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 18, 2026

Retail sales depend to a large degree on trade-in subsidies for items ranging from white goods to mobile phones.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 19, 2026

Appliance makers focusing on compact, multifunctional devices report stronger order books than producers of large-format white goods.

From Barron's ● Dec. 27, 2025

The housing association told the BBC Ben "accepted" the home knowing it had no white goods, but they provided funds to ensure he could purchase essentials, like a cooker and microwave.

From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2024

Ink spots on white goods are the same in character as on colored fabrics.

From Public School Domestic Science by Hoodless, Adelaide