lavatory

noun

lav·​a·​to·​ry ˈla-və-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce lavatory (audio)
British -və-t(ə-)rē
plural lavatories
Synonyms of lavatory
1
: a vessel (such as a basin) for washing
especially : a fixed bowl or basin with running water and drainpipe for washing
2
: a room with conveniences for washing and usually with one or more toilets
the airplane's lavatory
3
: toilet sense 1a
lavatory adjective

Synonyms of lavatory

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of lavatory in a Sentence

a wide choice of lavatories on sale at plumbing supply stores the school's filthy, broken-down lavatories were a disgrace
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
One sequence, in which Matt desperately tries to cut away skin that has started to cover his eyes while in an airplane lavatory during severe turbulence, is a master class in cinematic tension. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026 The image of the public lavatory, the impersonality of it all, stayed in my mind. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 19 Oct. 2026 Six of the aircraft's eight lavatories were not working — leaving only two available during the transatlantic flight, according to reports. — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026 An American Airlines Boeing 777 typically has eight lavatories onboard but only two were working. — Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lavatory

Word History

Etymology

Middle English lavatorie, from Medieval Latin lavatorium, from Latin lavare to wash — more at lye

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lavatory was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing lavatory

Rhymes for lavatory

See All Rhymes for lavatory

Browse Nearby Words

lavatorial
lavatory
lavatory paper
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lavatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lavatory. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

lavatory

noun
lav·​a·​to·​ry ˈlav-ə-ˌtōr-ē How to pronounce lavatory (audio)
-ˌtȯr-
plural lavatories
1
: a basin for washing
especially : a small sink with running water and drainpipe
2
: a room with lavatories and usually with toilets
3
: toilet sense 2b
Etymology

Middle English lavatorie "basin for washing," from Latin lavatorium (same meaning), derived from earlier lavare "to wash" — related to laundry, lavish, lotion

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All