verb

launder

to launder

She needs to launder her clothes.

She needs to launder her clothes.

They tried to launder the stolen money.

They tried to launder the stolen money.

((sth.)) to wash or clean (sth.) They tried to launder the stolen money.

Synonyms: wash, clean; (for money) cleanse, legitimize

From Old French 'lavandier' (a washer), ultimately from Latin 'lavare' (to wash).

Think of the noun 'laundry'. To 'launder' is the action of washing laundry. The illegal meaning is a metaphor: 'washing' dirty money to make it look clean.

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