Obs. Forms: 4–5 lavendere, 4–6 lavendre, 5 lavan-, -en-, -under, -dyre, 4– lavender. Also in contracted form LAUNDER. [a. OF. lavandier masc., lavandiere fem. (mod.F. lavandière fem.) = Sp. lavandero masc., -era fem., Pg. lavandeira fem., It. lavandaio masc., lavandaja, lavandara fem., ad. late L. lavandārius, -āria (whence OHG. laventari, ladantari ‘fullo’), f. lavanda (orig. neut. pl. ‘things to be washed,’ but in Rom. used as fem. sing.: cf. It. lavanda washing), f. lavāre to wash: see LAVE v.
Cf. L. lavandāria neut. pl. (occurring once) ‘things to be washed.’ For the formation cf. also med.L. referendārius, F. tissandier weaver.]
A washerwoman, laundress. † Formerly also (rarely), a man who washes clothes, a washerman.
[a. 1300. Chron. Petroburg. (Camden, No. 47), 122. De catallis Johannis le Lavandere, fugitivi.]
a. 1310. in Wright, Lyric P., xv. 49. Prude wes my plowe fere, Lecherie my lavendere.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., Prol. 358. Enuye … is lauender In the grete court alway.
c. 1430. Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 2328. The lauenders she saw in the floode, Ful besilie washing a shert.
c. 1470. Harding, Chron. CXCIII. ii. Ladies faire with their gentilwomen Chamberers also and lauenders.
a. 1483. in Househ. Ord. (1790), 85. Of the whiche soape the seyde clerke spicers shalle take allowaunce in his dayly dockette by the recorde of the seide yeoman lavender.
1501. Will of Wadyngton (Somerset Ho.). My lavendre Kateryne Gybbes.
a. 1536. Will of P’cess Catharine, in Strype, Eccl. Mem., I. App. lxix. 170. I ordain that my lavander be paid of that which is due unto her.
1567. in Chalmers, Mary (1818), 177. Lauandrie. Margaret Balcomie, lauander.
