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bidet

American  
[bee-day, bih-det] / biˈdeɪ, bɪˈdɛt /

noun

  • bidets
    plural
  1. a low, basinlike bathroom fixture that provides a water stream for bathing the genital and anal areas, or a device attached to a standard toilet that performs the same function.

  2. a small saddle horse.


bidet British  
/ ˈbiːdeɪ /

noun

  1. a small low basin for washing the genitals and anal area

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of bidet

First recorded in 1620–30; from Middle French: literally, “pony”; akin to Old French bider “to trot”; further origin unknown


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

But trying it made me more gut-curious, and if it were integrated into a bidet, I would be more interested.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2025

The bidet also helps make it more comfortable and accessible.

From Salon ● Feb. 22, 2025

A Toto representative told Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun that its bidet toilet seats are made of plastic resin due to the material's "resistance to detergents and its ability to be molded into complex shapes".

From BBC ● Dec. 30, 2024

To replace plastic-wrapped toilet paper, opt for a bidet, Jackson says.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 23, 2023

During the day, she pointed to strange and funny things, naming them for me: bidet, Brownie camera, salad fork, napkin.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan

“I used to be reckless and too broke to eat/Now all of my friends have bidets in their en suites.”

From Washington Post ● May 8, 2022

Indeed, health experts generally agree that bidets elevate the bathroom hygiene experience, at least when used properly.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 22, 2021

And people with pruritus ani, the technical term for itchy anus, are often cautioned to avoid toilet paper, leading them to bidets.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 22, 2021

Another bidding contest occurred, featuring a $12.5-million offer from Tushy, a manufacturer of bidets and other toilet equipment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 17, 2021

In European countries, most residential and hotel bathrooms come with bidets.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

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