lavatory

noun

lav·​a·​to·​ry ˈla-və-ˌtȯr-ē 

 British  -və-t(ə-)rē

plural lavatories

1

: a vessel (such as a basin) for washing

especially : a fixed bowl or basin with running water and drainpipe for washing

2

: a room with conveniences for washing and usually with one or more toilets

the airplane's lavatory

3

: toilet sense 1a

lavatory adjective

Synonyms

• bath
• bathroom
• bog [British]
• can
• cloakroom [British]
• comfort station
• convenience [chiefly British]
• head
• john
• latrine
• loo [chiefly British]
• potty
• restroom
• toilet
• washroom
• water closet

Examples of lavatory in a Sentence

a wide choice of lavatories on sale at plumbing supply stores

the school's filthy, broken-down lavatories were a disgrace

Recent Examples on the Web

Nelson got up from seat 35F toward the back of the Boeing 737 and went to the lavatory near the front of the plane, according to the affidavit. —Alex Sundby, CBS News, 31 Oct. 2024

Hologram light switches will eventually keep the lavatory completely hands free, while smart mirrors can multitask by providing an interactive display of digital content. —Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2024

The issue of crying babies on planes is a frequent source of conflict, with some passengers glaring, yelling or more recently, locking the offending child in the lavatory to admonish them. —Harmeet Kaur, CNN, 19 Sep. 2024

But the downside to window seats is, of course, being able to get up to use the lavatory with ease. —Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 9 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English lavatorie, from Medieval Latin lavatorium, from Latin lavare to wash — more at lye

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing lavatory

• lavatory paper

Kids Definition

lavatory

noun

lav·​a·​to·​ry ˈlav-ə-ˌtōr-ē 

-ˌtȯr-

plural lavatories

1

: a basin for washing

especially : a small sink with running water and drainpipe

2

: a room with lavatories and usually with toilets

3

: toilet sense 2b

Etymology

Middle English lavatorie "basin for washing," from Latin lavatorium (same meaning), derived from earlier lavare "to wash" — related to laundry, lavish, lotion