Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for water closet. Search instead for water closets.
Synonyms

water closet

American  

noun

  1. an enclosed room or compartment containing a toilet bowl fitted with a mechanism for flushing.

  2. Older Use. a privy or bathroom. WC, w.c.


water closet British  

noun

  1. a lavatory flushed by water

  2. a small room that has a lavatory

"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

Etymology

Origin of water closet

First recorded in 1745–55

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.

Paar left his program after NBC censors cut a water closet joke from his monologue, which became one of the biggest TV industry controversies of that era.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 24, 2025

However, despite the European-style bathroom with a separate water closet, the bathroom had enough room to be comfortable.

From Salon • Jun. 25, 2022

Owner’s bathrooms have a separate water closet, porcelain tile and a frameless, glass-enclosed walk-in shower.

From Washington Post • Sep. 28, 2021

Photos of his alleged water closet circulated all over social media, showing a veritable throne with lion heads.

From Slate • Jul. 28, 2021

Only the bedrooms, water closet, and winter parlor were fully enclosed.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor