loo

¹ American  

[loo] / lu /

noun

loos plural

1. a card game in which forfeits are paid into a pool.

2. the forfeit or sum paid into the pool.

3. the fact of being looed.

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verb (used with object)

looed, looing

1. to subject to a forfeit at loo.

loo ² American  

[loo] / lu /

noun

British Informal.

loos plural

1. toilet.

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loo ³ American  

[loo] / lu /

verb (used with or without object)

Chiefly Northern U.S.

loos plural

1. low.

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loo ⁴ American  

[loo] / lu /

noun

loos plural

1. Scots. love.

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loo ¹ British  

/ luː /

noun

1. a gambling card game

2. a stake used in this game

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loo ² British  

/ luː /

noun

1. an informal word for lavatory

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loo ³ British  

/ luː /

verb

1. a variant spelling of lou

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Etymology

Origin of loo¹

First recorded in 1665–75; short for lanterloo, from Dutch lanterlu, from French lantur(e)lu, a special use of a meaningless refrain of an old song

Origin of loo²

First recorded in 1935–40; of uncertain origin; perhaps from French lieux (d'aisances) “latrines, toilets,” literally, “places of ease”; perhaps a pun on the place name Waterloo, based on water closet

Example Sentences

Unlike a wearable, which is easy enough to leave on your nightstand, the loo is something you can’t forget to use.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025

The purported health risks of extended loo time have long circulated through doctors’ offices and news articles.

From Slate • Sep. 12, 2025

"My wife was pretty cross when I first said I bought it, she said she would stay once it had a flushing loo, which is pretty reasonable."

From BBC • Aug. 16, 2025

"You should frame it and put it in the loo," Pritchard suggests.

From BBC • May 8, 2025

After Vivian arrived on Tower Hill Road, Branwell had also started calling the toilet the loo.

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg