toilet

toilet — noun

IPA/ˈtɔɪlət/
KK[tˈɔɪlət]IPA/ˈtɔɪlət/
  • toiletsingular
  • toiletsplural

1. a piece of equipment in a bathroom, with a seat and a bowl that uses water to wa

1.nounA1
Definition

a piece of equipment in a bathroom, with a seat and a bowl that uses water to wash away human waste

Example

The plumber replaced the broken toilet in Lien's apartment this morning.

countable: a toilet / the toilet / toilets

Jiwoo flushed the toilet twice to make sure everything went down.

collocation: flush the toilet

Common collocations
  • flush the toilet
  • clean the toilet
  • toilet seat
  • toilet bowl
  • toilet brush
Synonyms
  • lavatory

    more formal, especially on airplanes or trains

  • commode

    a chair-like toilet used by people who cannot walk; also an older term

  • WC

    short for 'water closet'; common in British and European signage

  • loo

    informal British term for the room or fixture

Usage Note

In British English, the room itself is often called 'the toilet' (see sense 2). In American English, 'toilet' usually refers only to the physical fixture, while the room is called 'bathroom' or 'restroom.'

Common Mistakes

I need to go to the toilet' (when referring to the room in a formal American context).
I need to use the restroom.
In American English, 'toilet' for the room can sound too direct in polite conversation.

2. a room that contains a toilet, usually with a sink and sometimes a bath or showe

2.nounA1
Definition

a room that contains a toilet, usually with a sink and sometimes a bath or shower

Example

Eitan asked the waiter where the toilet was in the restaurant.

question: 'where the toilet is/was'

There is a toilet on the ground floor near the main entrance of the museum.

Common collocations
  • go to the toilet
  • use the toilet
  • toilet door
  • toilet paper
  • toilet facilities
Synonyms
  • bathroom

    standard North American term; also implies a bath or shower

  • restroom

    polite American term, common in public places

  • lavatory

    formal term, often used on airplanes

  • washroom

    common in Canada and some parts of the US

Usage Note

This is the standard word for the room in British English. In American English, 'bathroom' or 'restroom' is used instead. See sense 1 for the fixture-only usage.

Common Mistakes

Where is the toilet?' (in polite American company).
Where is the restroom?
In the US, 'toilet' for the room can sound too direct; use 'restroom', 'bathroom', or 'ladies'/'men's room' instead.

3. the act of passing waste out of your body, especially when talking about childre

3.nounA2
Definition

the act of passing waste out of your body, especially when talking about children, older people, or people who are ill

Example

The little boy told his mother he needed to go to the toilet.

phrase: need to go to the toilet

Shanti asked the teacher if she could use the toilet before the exam started.

phrase: use the toilet (polite request)

Common collocations
  • go to the toilet
  • use the toilet
  • need the toilet
  • take someone to the toilet
Synonyms

Usage Note

This sense is uncountable and mainly occurs in fixed phrases: 'go to the toilet,' 'use the toilet,' 'need the toilet.' It is a polite way of talking about bodily functions, especially with children or in public settings.

Common Mistakes

I need to toilet.' (using 'toilet' as a verb like 'I need to pee').
I need to use the toilet.
The sense requires a supporting verb like 'go to', 'use', or 'need'.

4. an area in a park, station, or shopping centre that contains several individual

4.nounB1
Definition

an area in a park, station, or shopping centre that contains several individual stalls fitted with a toilet for public use

Example

The public toilets in the city park stay open until nine in the evening.

compound noun: public toilets

Iris found the toilet block at the train station on the lower level.

compound noun: toilet block

Common collocations
  • public toilets
  • toilet block
  • nearest toilet
  • men's toilets
  • ladies' toilets
Synonyms

Usage Note

Often used in the plural ('toilets') to refer to a shared facility. In American English, 'public restroom' or 'public bathroom' is the usual equivalent. 'Toilet block' is common in British English for a standalone building.

Common Mistakes

Where are the toilets?' (using plural for a single room in American settings).
Where is the restroom?
Americans use singular 'restroom' even for facilities with multiple stalls.

5. the activity of washing, combing your hair, putting on makeup, and getting dress

5.nounB2
Definition

the activity of washing, combing your hair, putting on makeup, and getting dressed, especially as a regular morning routine

Example

Élise spent an hour on her toilet before the evening party began.

formal register: 'her toilet' = her grooming routine

Joshua keeps a small toilet bag with soap, a comb, and a razor inside.

compound noun: toilet bag (bag for grooming items)

Common collocations
  • morning toilet
  • toilet bag
  • toilet soap
  • toilet case
  • at her toilet
Synonyms
  • grooming

    modern term for washing and making yourself tidy

  • getting ready

    everyday alternative, less formal

  • dressing

    focuses specifically on putting clothes on

Usage Note

This sense is old-fashioned in modern everyday English. It survives mainly in fixed compounds ('toilet bag,' 'toilet soap,' 'toiletries') and in historical or formal writing. The related noun 'toiletries' (products used for grooming) is much more common today.

Common Mistakes

I bought some toilet.' (meaning grooming products).
I bought some toiletries.
The countable plural 'toiletries' is the normal word for products like soap, shampoo, and deodorant.

toilet — verb

IPA/ˈtɔɪ.lət/
KK[tˈɔɪlət]IPA/ˈtɔɪ.lət/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words refer to the fixture used for urination and defecation, but they differ in register and region. 'Toilet' is the most neutral and widely understood word across the English-speaking world. 'Lavatory' is more formal and is commonly found on airplanes, trains, and official signage. 'Loo' is an informal British term that would sound out of place in American conversation or formal writing. 'WC' (short for 'water closet') appears on signs in Europe and parts of Asia but is rarely used in everyday speech. 'Commode' now usually refers to a portable chair-like toilet for people who cannot walk, though it was once a general term for the fixture. Example: 'The toilet is down the hall' is fine anywhere. 'I'm just popping to the loo' sounds natural in London but odd in Los Angeles. 'The lavatory is at the rear of the aircraft' is what you hear on a plane.

toilet ↗lavatory ↗loo ↗WC ↗commode ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • go to the toilet
  • use the toilet
  • flush the toilet
  • clean the toilet
  • need the toilet

Prepositions

  • to the toilet
  • in the toilet
  • on the toilet

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

The word 'toilet' entered English in the 1500s from French 'toilette,' a diminutive of 'toile' meaning 'cloth.' Originally it referred to a small cloth covering a dressing table. Over time the meaning shifted to the dressing table itself, then to the act of washing, grooming, and dressing (still preserved in sense 5), then to the room where washing happens, and finally — in the 1900s — to the porcelain fixture we now think of first.