lavabo

[ luh-vey-boh, -vah- ]
/ ləˈveɪ boʊ, -ˈvɑ- /

noun, plural la·va·boes.

Ecclesiastical.
  1. the ritual washing of the celebrant's hands after the offertory in the Mass, accompanied in the Roman rite by the recitation of Psalm 26:6–12.
  2. the passage recited.
  3. the small towel or the basin used.
(in many medieval monasteries) a large stone basin equipped with a number of small orifices through which water flowed, used for the performance of ablutions.
a washbowl with a spigot-equipped water tank above, both mounted on a wall: now often used for decoration or as a planter.

Origin of lavabo

First recorded in 1855–60, lavabo is from the Latin word lavābō: I shall wash

Example sentences from the Web for lavabo

British Dictionary definitions for lavabo

lavabo
/ (ləˈveɪbəʊ) /

noun plural -boes or -bos mainly RC Church

  1. the ritual washing of the celebrant's hands after the offertory at Mass
  2. (as modifier)lavabo basin; lavabo towel
another name for washbasin
a trough for washing in a convent or monastery

Word Origin for lavabo

C19: from Latin: I shall wash, the opening of Psalm 26:6