verb

launder

to launder, to wash

She needed to launder her dirty clothes.

She needed to launder her dirty clothes.

They laundered the money through a fake company.

They laundered the money through a fake company.

to launder ((sth.)) to wash something, like clothes She needed to launder her dirty clothes.

to launder ((money)) to process illegal money to make it seem legitimate They laundered the money through a fake company.

Synonyms: to wash, to clean; (money) to clean, to legitimize

From Old French 'lavandier' (a person who washes clothes), from Latin 'lavare' (to wash).

Think of 'laundry' for washing clothes. The idea of 'washing' money to make it look 'clean' is a direct metaphor.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.