Lavatory
/ˈlæv.ə.tɔːr.i/noun
A room or fixture used for washing or for a toilet.
Did you know?Lavatory comes from Latin lavatorium, from lavare, meaning “to wash,” and in medieval religious life it could refer to a place for ceremonial washing before sacred acts.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*lewh₃-
“to wash, bathe”
Latin
Latin
lavare
“to wash”
Late Latin
Latin
lavatorium
“a place for washing”
Old French
Old French
lavatoire
“a washing place”
Middle English
English
lavatory
“a place for washing or cleansing”
Modern English
English
lavatory
“a toilet or washroom”