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Synonyms

water closet

American  

noun

  • water closets
    plural
  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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

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.

See Examples For:

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

The European-style bathroom is massive, with a deep soaking bathtub that I can easily fit into, but a relatively standard-size shower and water closet.

From Salon Oct. 8, 2022

Main bathrooms have quartz vanity tops and a water closet with elongated bowl.

From Washington Post Aug. 2, 2022

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

From Slate Jul. 28, 2021

She had a sitting room, a bedroom, and a small kitchen with a water closet.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

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