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
Accessible portable toilets are available at the ends of each bank of portable toilets. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 27 Feb. 2024 My new home’s bathroom is fully tiled from floor to ceiling, and the toilet is right next to the shower. Meggen Harris, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 For example, if someone anywhere else in the country gets trapped in an outhouse toilet, is submerged to the waist in fetid muck and must be extracted by fire fighters, Florida Man is jealous and will consider suing for copyright infringement. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024 There – a month ago, there was one toilet for every 220 people, one shower for every 15,000 people. CBS News, 25 Feb. 2024 The bathroom has a modern toilet, bathtub and shower, according to the lighthouse's website. Gabe Hauari, Detroit Free Press, 22 Feb. 2024 Around one-fifth of homes don’t even have indoor toilets. Paul Krugman, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2024 Away from its luxury hotels and affluent suburbs, residents in mushrooming shack settlements without basic services often share a water pump and portable chemical toilets. Lynsey Chutel, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2024 Is her mother close to her, across the room washing her face, or cross-legged on the toilet seat? Anne Kniggendorf, Kansas City Star, 18 Feb. 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 18 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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