What does ironing mean?
Ironing is the household activity of pressing garments or other fabrics with a heated iron to remove creases and give them a neat, smooth appearance. It is commonly used for clothes, particularly shirts, trousers, dresses, and household linens, though the activity can also be applied to fabric more generally. In everyday speech, people say that someone is 'doing the ironing' or that there is 'a pile of ironing.' The word usually describes either the task itself or the clothes waiting to be pressed. Although ironing is often seen as a routine domestic chore, it can also be a practical skill and, in some contexts, a sign of careful presentation. The related word 'ironer' refers to the person or device performing the task, while 'ironing board' denotes the padded surface on which clothes are commonly pressed.
nounThe activity or process of pressing clothes or fabric with a heated iron to remove wrinkles and make them smooth. It can also refer to clothes that are waiting to be, or have been, ironed.
- The activity or process of pressing clothes or fabric with a heated iron to remove wrinkles.
"She put the laundry on the ironing board and listened to the radio while she was ironing."
"He left a stack of ironing on the table."
"The shirt needs a quick ironing before the meeting."
Ironing is a small household ritual with a surprisingly long history: people have been smoothing garments with heated tools for centuries.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does ironing come from?
The word 'ironing' is formed by adding the suffix '-ing' to 'iron', using the present participle pattern that developed into a gerund. The noun 'iron' itself comes from Old English 'īsern', a Germanic word borrowed in antiquity from Celtic languages. The same root underlies related words such as 'ironer', a person or device that presses fabric, and compounds including 'ironclad'.
Related word forms
How ironing is actually used
The term is common in everyday household contexts. In British English, it is often used with the verb 'do': 'do the ironing'. As a countable noun, it can refer to a collection of clothes awaiting ironing.