Commode
/kəˈmoʊd/noun
A chest of drawers or a portable toilet; also, an old-fashioned term for a toilet.
Did you know?Commode comes from French commode, meaning “convenient” or “suitable,” from Latin commodus—proof that everyday objects can hide a very polite linguistic past.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
commodus
“suitable, fitting, convenient”
Old French
French
commode
“convenient, suitable; also a piece of furniture adapted for a purpose”
18th Century
English
commode
“a chest of drawers or cabinet with drawers”
18th Century
English
commode
“a portable chair or vessel used as a toilet”
Modern English
English
commode
“a toilet or toilet chair, especially in formal or older usage”
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