white goods

See also: whitegoods

English

Noun

white goods pl (plural only)

1. Domestic textiles, such as tablecloths, bedding, towels, etc. that were traditionally white in color.
2. The large household appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, washing machines and driers as a group.
   • 2005, Donald F. Blumberg, Introduction to Management of Reverse Logistics and Closed Loop Supply Chain Processes, page 121:

     At one time major appliances (white goods), washer, dryer, and refrigerator stores would last more than 20 years.

   • 2019 August 6, Stephen Burgen, “Man caught fly-tipping fridge in ravine fined and made to drag it back”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     Fridges contain gases that can cause serious environmental damage and are among the most toxic white goods if not disposed of correctly, along with freezers and air conditioning units.

3. (beverage industry) Colorless spirits, such as gin and vodka.
   • 2012, Dwight B. Heath, Drinking Occasions: Comparative Perspectives on Alcohol and Culture‎^[2], Routledge, →ISBN, page 35:

     In the U.S., there has been a gradual shift from “brown goods” (darker colored drinks, such as whiskey and brandy) to “white goods” (lighter colored drinks, such as gin and vodka).

Synonyms

• (domestic textiles, linens): dry goods
• (appliances): large appliances

Hyponyms

• (appliances): white appliance

Coordinate terms

• brown goods
• red goods
• yellow goods

Translations

linens

• Finnish: kodintekstiilit pl
• Portuguese: cama, mesa e banho
• Swedish: vitvara (sv) c
• Ukrainian: біли́зна (uk) (bilýzna)

appliances

• Bulgarian: бя́ла те́хника f (bjála téhnika)
• Estonian: kodumajapidamismasinad pl
• Finnish: suuret kodinkoneet pl
• Polish: no equivalent term in Polish, but see biały montaż (pl) m
• Portuguese: linha branca, eletrodomésticos m pl
• Slovak: biela technika f pl
• Spanish: línea blanca f
• Swedish: vitvara (sv) c
• Turkish: beyaz eşya (tr)

colorless spirits

• Finnish: kirkkaat viinat pl