noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
General-American:/ˈkɑɹ ˌwɑʃ/
British, Southern, Standard:/ˈkɑɹ ˌwɔʃ/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
noun
Meaning 1
An event at which people (often students) wash cars, often for a small fee or donation
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A place at which a car is washed, usually for a fee and often mechanically by driving the car through a tunnel.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I'm going to take the car to the car wash.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
An instance of washing a car, especially such a place.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I'm going to take the car in for a car wash.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
No etymology was provided for this word.
Across languages
Translations
74 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Chinese Mandarin:
洗車 /洗车
(xǐchē)
— event at which people wash cars
Finnish:
autonpesu
— event at which people wash cars
Georgian:
ავტომობილების რეცხვა
(avṭomobilebis recxva)
— event at which people wash cars
German:
Wagenwäsche
— event at which people wash cars
Macedonian:
миење кола
— event at which people wash cars
Macedonian:
перење кола
— event at which people wash cars
Polish:
mycie samochodów
— event at which people wash cars
Russian:
мо́йка автомоби́лей
(mójka avtomobílej)
— event at which people wash cars
Swedish:
biltvätt
— event at which people wash cars
Swedish:
biltvättning
— event at which people wash cars
Afrikaans:
karwassery
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Azerbaijani:
avtoyuma
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Azerbaijani:
moyka
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Basque:
auto-garbigune
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Belarusian:
аўтамыйня
(awtamyjnja)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Bulgarian:
автомивка
(avtomivka)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Catalan:
centre de rentatge
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Chinese Mandarin:
洗車場 /洗车场
(xǐchēchǎng)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Czech:
mycí linka
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Danish:
bilvask
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Dutch:
wasstraat
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Dutch:
autowasstraat
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Estonian:
autopesu
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Finnish:
autopesula
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
French:
station de lavage
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
French:
lave-auto
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Georgian:
ავტომობილების სამრეცხაო
(avṭomobilebis samrecxao)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Georgian:
ავტოსამრეცხაო
(avṭosamrecxao)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Georgian:
მოიკა
(moiḳa)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
German:
Waschstraße
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
German:
Waschanlage
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
German:
Wagenwäsche
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Hungarian:
autómosó
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Indonesian:
tempat cuci mobil
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Italian:
autolavaggio
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Japanese:
洗車場
(senshajō)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Kazakh:
автожуу
(avtojuu)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Lao:
ຮ້ານລ້າງລົດ
(hān lāng lot)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Lao:
ລ້າງລົດ
(lāng lot)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Latvian:
auto mazgātava
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Lithuanian:
automobilių plovykla
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Luxembourgish:
Wäschstrooss
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Macedonian:
автопералница
(avtoperalnica)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Macedonian:
автопера́лна
(avtoperálna)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Malay:
tempat cuci kereta
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Manx:
naighyn-carr
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Mongolian:
авто угаалга
(avto ugaalga)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Mongolian:
машин угаалга
(mašin ugaalga)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Norwegian:
bilvask
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Persian:
کارواش
(kârvâš)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Polish:
automyjnia
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Polish:
myjnia samochodowa
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Portuguese:
lava-jato
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Romanian:
spălătorie auto
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Russian:
автомо́йка
(avtomójka)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Russian:
мо́йка
(mójka)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Serbo-Croatian:
аутопраоница
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Serbo-Croatian:
autopraonica
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Slovak:
umývacia linka
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Slovene:
avtopralnica
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Spanish:
túnel de lavado
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Spanish:
autolavado
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Spanish:
lavado de coches / carros / autos
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Spanish:
lavadero de carros / autos
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Spanish:
lavadora de autos
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Spanish:
fregadora
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Spanish:
car wash
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Swedish:
biltvätt
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Thai:
การล้าง รถ
(gaan láang rót)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Turkish:
araç yıkama yeri
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Turkish:
oto kuaför
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Turkish:
oto yıkama
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Ukrainian:
автоми́йка
(avtomýjka)
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically
Vietnamese:
rửa xe
— place at which a car is washed, often mechanically