toilet

1 of 2

noun

toi·​let ˈtȯi-lət How to pronounce toilet (audio)
1
a
: a fixture that consists usually of a water-flushed bowl and seat and is used for defecation and urination
2
: the act or process of dressing and grooming oneself
3
: cleansing in preparation for or in association with a medical or surgical procedure
pulmonary toilet
4
archaic : dressing table

toilet

2 of 2

verb

toileted; toileting; toilets

intransitive verb

1
: to dress and groom oneself
2
: to use the toilet
usually used of a child

transitive verb

1
: dress, garb
2
: to help (someone, such as a child or sick person) use the toilet

Examples of toilet in a Sentence

Noun One of the kids needed to use the toilet. a painting of a woman at her toilet Verb the princess required at least a dozen maids to toilet her for formal occasions
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
More than 3,700 shelter residents compete for a place to sleep and share a hole in the ground for a toilet. CBS News, 16 Mar. 2024 Each has 26-foot-high ceilings, three bedrooms, and countless powder rooms complete with high-design Japanese toilets. David Morris, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2024 The other poster is purple and features Rodrigo leaning over a toilet with glitter and stars inside the toilet bowl. The Enquirer, 15 Mar. 2024 And cysticercosis can be prevented with proper handwashing after using the toilet and before handling food. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 Best Toilet Brush: Staff Toilet Brush Icky bacteria won’t stick to the silicone bristles on this toilet brush. Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2024 Port Lockroy has no running water, so staffers will have to be comfortable using a bucket instead of a toilet. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024 And most important of all, how does a toilet work at 40,000 feet? Julia Buckley, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 After properly positioning themselves, two officers open a bathroom door to see a man sitting on the toilet with his pants down, the video shows. Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024
Verb
Meanwhile, there are ways to reduce human exposure to toilet plumes. John Crimaldi, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2022 There was the time the system that controls toilet flushing failed and water rained down on the fancy dining area and diners one floor below. Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2022 Blood stains covered a shower curtain and toilet in the bathroom. Susannah Bryan, sun-sentinel.com, 9 Nov. 2021 Officers found a group of college students toilet papering their coach’s house. cleveland, 29 Oct. 2021 This has front to back adjustability for the perfect seat to toilet bowl fit. Tim Kohut, BGR, 29 June 2021 Another is its light jet category includes very light jets with limited range and sans toilet like the Eclipse 500. Doug Gollan, Forbes, 2 June 2021 That same survey revealed a nurse helped toilet the resident with gloves, but the resident didn’t have a gown on. Deon J. Hampton, Cincinnati.com, 3 Apr. 2020 To offset this inconvenience, reports the Associated Press, Airbnb will place a heated bathroom trailer with a shower, sink and toilet on the site. Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Mar. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'toilet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French toilette cloth on which items used for grooming are placed, from Middle French, piece of batiste, from diminutive of toile cloth

First Known Use

Noun

1667, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

1828, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of toilet was in 1667

Dictionary Entries Near toilet

Cite this Entry

“Toilet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toilet. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

toilet

noun
toi·​let
ˈtȯi-lət
1
: the act or process of dressing and making oneself neat
2
a
b
: a fixture that consists usually of a bowl that is flushed with water and a seat and is used for defecation and urination

Medical Definition

toilet

noun
toi·​let ˈtȯi-lət How to pronounce toilet (audio)
: cleansing in preparation for or in association with a medical or surgical procedure
a pharyngeal toilet

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