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toilet

noun · verb

Simple meaning

A fixture used for urination and defecation.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

toyluht

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US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈtɔɪlət

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. A fixture used for urination and defecation, particularly one with a large bowl and ring-shaped seat which uses water to flush the waste material into a septic tank or sewer system.

  2. figuratively

    A very shabby or dirty place.

  3. new zealand

    A small secondary lavatory having a fixture used for urination and defecation and sink but no bathtub or shower.

verb

  1. To use (urinate or defecate in) a toilet.

  2. To assist another (a child, etc.) in using a toilet.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
B1 · Intermediate (estimated)
Frequency
Common
Typical Use
General English

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: A fixture used for urination and defecation, particularly one with a large bowl and ring-shaped seat which uses water to flush the waste material into a septic tank or sewer system.

Used this way, toilet is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone
Neutral
Formality
Neutral
Intensity
Not strongly marked
How common
Moderately common
Connotation
Matter-of-fact
Usage feel
Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

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Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

Small / fixture

toilet papertoilet seattoilet bowltoilet tissue

Other combinations

toilet trainingtoilet roomspublic toilettoilet soap

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Similar Words, What’s the Difference?

Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.

  • privy

    A toilet: a fixture used for urination and defecation.

  • potty

    A plumbing fixture for defecation and urination.

  • lavatory

    Handwashing as an act, particularly.

  • lav

    A vessel or fixture for washing, particularly.

Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

  • toilet bowlnounCompound term

    The bowl of a toilet that can be flushed with water.

  • toilet facilitynounCompound term

    A toilet that is available to the public.

  • toilet kitnounCompound term

    A kit for carrying toilet articles while traveling.

  • toilet papernounCompound term

    A soft thin absorbent paper for use in toilets.

  • toilet powdernounCompound term

    A fine powder for spreading on the body (as after bathing).

  • toilet rollnounCompound term

    A roll of toilet paper.

Related words

Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.

  • toiletrynounRelated term

    Artifacts used in making your toilet (washing and taking care of your body).

Related Words

Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.

More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin

Synonyms

noun

Sense: fixture used for urination and defecation

lavatorybathroompotArchaicprivypottystoolDatedlavjohn

verb

Sense: to use (urinate or defecate in) a toilet

stoolTechnical

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.