Why is saying toilet rude?

1. Toilet. This was on the original 1950s list and, to be honest, I’d rather chew glass than use the word toilet in polite conversation. It’s a harsh word that was adapted from the French toilette which means your appearance, hence toiletries bag.

Is the word toilet rude?

The word toilet is not actually considered vulgar in America. It is considered an out-of-date word. The Americans prefer to say ‘rest room’.

Is it OK to say toilet?

Lavatory or the slightly twee ‘loo’ are always acceptable and used by those from stronger social backgrounds, or those who ‘get it’. ‘Toilet’ is both down-market but also incorrect. Historically, a toilette was a person’s make-up (hence ‘toiletries bag’, ‘eau de toilette’, etc).

What is the polite word for toilet?

In these places the terms “water closet”, or simply “WC”, “lavatory”, or “loo” are the more common euphemisms for needing to use the toilet.

Why do the English call the toilet the loo?

Loo. Despite being a very British word for toilet, ‘loo’ is actually derived from the French phrase ‘guardez l’eau’, which means ‘watch out for the water’. Over time, it became loo and was applied to the toilet itself.

Why is a bathroom called a John?

Where does the name “the john” come from? We’ll get the basic etymology out of the way: “John” as slang for toilet probably derived from “jakes” or “jacks,” medieval English terms for what was then a small, smelly loo inside the house if you were very fancy and outside the house if you were slightly less so.

Why do British say toilet?

The British started using “toilet” as a euphemism for bog or bog house, and at the time they did this, the word “toilet” did not refer to a plumbing fixture at all, but to a small room where ladies would finish dressing. It’s from the French toilette.

Why do Brits call the toilet a loo?

What is a female toilet called?

A female urinal is a urinal designed for the female anatomy to allow for ease of use by women and girls. Unisex urinals are also marketed by various companies, and can be used by both sexes. Female and unisex urinals are much less common than male urinals (often assumed by the term urinal).

Is latrine a English word?

The word “latrine” is derived from the Latin lavatrina, meaning bath. Today it is commonly used in the term “pit latrine”. It has the connotation of something being less advanced and less hygienic than a standard toilet.

Why are Navy toilets called heads?

At the front of the ship was the figure head: a carved wooden figure or bust fitted on the bow of the ship. Since the wind was blowing from the rear to the front, the “head” (or front) of the ship was the best place for sailors to relieve themselves. So, when the shipmates went to the toilet, they went to the head.

Why is a toilet called a commode?

The History of The Word “In early 18th-century France, the word commode meant a chest of drawers or a cabinet for storing personal items. In the final stage of the word’s semantic drift, the term was used to refer to the porcelain plumbing fixture that replaced the chamber pot altogether—the toilet.