Meanings
- pluralplural onlyLarge household appliances, such as refrigerators, stoves, washing machines and driers, as a group.
At one time major appliances (white goods), washer, dryer, and refrigerator stores would last more than 20 years.
2005, Donald F. Blumberg, Introduction to Management of Reverse Logistics and Closed Loop Supply Chain Processes, page 1211 more example
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.
2019 August 6, Stephen Burgen, “Man caught fly-tipping fridge in ravine fined and made to drag it back”, in The GuardianSynonyms: large appliance
- pluralplural onlybeverage industryColorless spirits, such as gin and vodka.
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).
2012, Dwight B. Heath, Drinking Occasions: Comparative Perspectives on Alcohol and Culture, Routledge, →ISBN, page 35
Synonyms & antonyms
nounDomestic textiles, such as tablecloths, bedding, towels, etc. that were traditionally white in color.
nounLarge household appliances, such as refrigerators, stoves, washing machines and driers, as a group.
More synonyms by meaning
noundrygoods for household use that are typically made of white cloth
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Bulgarian бя́ла те́хника
- бя́ла те́хника (bjála téhnika)appliances
Chinese Mandarin 白色家電 /白色家电
- 白色家電 /白色家电 (báisè jiādiàn)appliances
Estonian kodumajapidamismasinad
- kodumajapidamismasinadappliances
Finnish kodintekstiilit, suuret kodinkoneet
- kodintekstiilitlinens
- suuret kodinkoneetappliances
- kirkkaat viinatcolorless spirits
Japanese 白物家電
- 白物家電 (shiromono kaden)appliances
Polish but see biały montaż
- but see biały montażappliances
Portuguese cama, mesa e banho, linha branca
- cama, mesa e banholinens
- linha brancaappliances
- eletrodomésticosappliances
Slovak biela technika
- biela technikaappliances
Spanish línea blanca
- línea blancaappliances
Swedish vitvara, vitvara
- vitvaralinens
- vitvaraappliances
Turkish beyaz eşya
- beyaz eşyaappliances
Ukrainian біли́зна
- біли́зна (bilýzna)linens
Cite this entry
white goods. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/white%20goods
“white goods.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/white%20goods. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “white goods,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/white%20goods.
Source: white goods on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.