outhouse

noun

out·​house ˈau̇t-ˌhau̇s 

plural outhouses ˈau̇t-ˌhau̇-zəz 

 also  -səz

: outbuilding

… barns, stables, and other outhouses …

—Wayne R. LaFave and Austin W. Scott, Jr.

especially : privy sense 1a

They lived in an off-the-grid cabin with an out-door kitchen and an outhouse.

—Diane Daniel

Royal Cove's official outhouse didn't have a name, so we dubbed it Maggie's Loo, in honor of Princess Margaret of Great Britain.

—John Vigor

He calls an outhouse a toilet, because the only toilets his family had while he was growing up were outhouses.

—David Owen

Examples of outhouse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Centuries ago, before indoor plumbing, people would use outhouses separate from their homes. —Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, Fox News, 16 Jan. 2025

Born and raised on the humble farmlands of southern Georgia, Carter grew up without running water and used an outhouse. —Destinee Adams, NPR, 30 Dec. 2024

Zacha has hardly been banished to the outhouse on a second line with James van Riemsdyk and Jake DeBrusk, especially with the way DeBrusk has been heating up lately. —Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 22 Jan. 2024

Daily chores that shaped life in the valley–from building outhouses to helping with orchard work—are addressed in the exhibit, which also delves into school life with displays on early 1900s curriculum and transportation. —Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 24 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

outhouse

noun

out·​house ˈau̇t-ˌhau̇s 

: outbuilding

especially : privy entry 2 sense 1