bathtub

American  

[bath-tuhb, bahth-] / ˈbæθˌtʌb, ˈbɑθ- /

noun

bathtubs plural

1. a tub to bathe in, especially one that is a permanent fixture in a bathroom.

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bathtub British  

/ ˈbɑːθˌtʌb /

noun

1. a bath, esp one not permanently fixed

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• bathtubs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of bathtub

First recorded in 1825–35; bath ¹ + tub

Explanation

A bathtub is a bathroom fixture, a tub that you can fill with water for bathing. Some people like to soak in a bathtub at the end of a long day. Many bathtubs are made of ceramic or porcelain, and they're large enough for an adult to lie down in at least partially submerged in water. Some bathrooms have only a bathtub, or only a shower, while others have both. In Britain, it's more common to call a bathtub simply a bath. During Prohibition in 1920s America, "bathtub gin" referred to any kind of home-brewed alcohol, whether it was actually made in a bathtub or not.

Example Sentences

The Bathtub Buggy, built for an exposition in Osaka, Japan, featured a fully functioning tub, sink and vanity, with running water and solid brass taps.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 5, 2021

Bathtub mats were actually invented as workstation flooring for Chiquita employees in their packing plants.

From Washington Post • Feb. 2, 2017

Broken Bone Bathtub In which audiences of six to eight people help the show’s creator and performer, Siobhan O’Loughlin, take a bath.

From New York Times • Jan. 7, 2016

Written by American crime writer Michael R Perry, the film sees Reynolds starring as Jerry, a seemingly regular guy working at the Milton Bathtub factory, with a dog, Bosco, and a cat, Mr Whiskers.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2015

If he had had the opportunity he would have trusted her with the secret of his life's ambition—the Bathtub and the Mosquito-Proof Socks.

From Skippy Bedelle His Sentimental Progress From the Urchin to the Complete Man of the World by Fuhr, Ernest