Magdalene laundry en · NOUN
Etymology
Named after Mary Magdalene, traditionally associated with prostitution and a patron saint of penitent sinners.
Meanings
- (Ireland, historical) A religious facility in which prostitutes and unmarried mothers were kept, usually against their will, as a source of forced labour to launder clothes.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magdalene laundries | Number=Plur | lexicographic |