WordGarden.iobathroom
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /bˈɑːθruːm/
US
- /ˈbæˌθrum/
Meanings
Noun
a room with a toilet and sink, often also a bath or shower
Beyond the definition
The bathroom isn't just where you brush your teeth! It's the room where people handle personal care—washing, using the toilet, and generally freshening up. It often contains a sink, and many have a bath, shower, or both. In public places you may hear "restroom," and in Canada "washroom." In everyday conversation, especially in North America, it can also be used for a room with a toilet even when it has no bath. The core meaning stays steady: a private, practical space for everyday bodily needs, before every busy day or after it.
The word "bathroom" seems straightforward enough—it's the room in a home or public building containing a toilet, a sink, and often a bathtub or shower. But its history is surprisingly recent. Before indoor plumbing became common in the 19th century, most people didn't have dedicated rooms for washing or bathing. Instead, they used washstands with pitchers of water, chamber pots, or communal bathing facilities.
The term "bathroom" originally meant a room for bathing, often a luxurious space reserved for wealthier households. As indoor plumbing spread, these spaces added toilets and sinks, and the word broadened into what we use today. Regional usage still differs: in the United Kingdom, a room with a bath is usually called a bathroom, while a separate toilet is often called a loo; in North America, the same room can be called by this word even when it includes only a toilet and sink.
Today, bathrooms come in all shapes and sizes, from a simple "powder room" with a toilet and sink to a large ensuite with soaking tubs and double vanities. You may see a "half bath" for guests and a "full bathroom" with toilet, sink, and bathing facilities near bedrooms. Context still matters: people often ask "Where's the bathroom?" to find the toilet and wash area. Whether it's for a quick refresh or a quiet long soak, these rooms are central to everyday life and comfort.
Examples
- 1
Location
The bathroom is at the end of the hall.
- 2
Polite expression
I need to use the bathroom before we leave.
- Usageuse the bathroom
a polite way to say go to the toilet
- 3
Housing
Their apartment has two bedrooms and one bathroom.
- 4
Bathroom fixtures
She left her phone on the bathroom sink.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Hotel room
The hotel room comes with a private bathroom.
- 6
Shared facilities
We had to share a bathroom with the room next door.
- Patternshare a bathroom with + person/group
use the same bathroom as them
- 7
Short break
Let's take a quick bathroom break before the meeting starts.
- Phrasebathroom break
a short break to go to the bathroom
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- bathroomnoun
Forms
- bathroomspluralnoun