Meaning & use
a lavatory
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountableformal
A room with a toilet and usually a sink, especially in a public building; also the toilet itself.
Grammar: Countable: one lavatory, two lavatories. It can refer to the room or the fixture.
Patterns
- go to the lavatory
- use the lavatory
- a public lavatory
Excuse me, where is the lavatory?
The lavatory on the train was out of order.
She washed her hands in the lavatory before lunch.
Word forms
| plural | lavatories |
|---|
Common combinations
- public lavatory
- The public lavatory near the park is closed for cleaning.
- use the lavatory
- May I use the lavatory, please?
- lavatory paper
- We need to buy more lavatory paper.
- lavatory attendant
- The lavatory attendant keeps the facilities clean.
Synonyms and how they differ
- toilet
- This is the most common word in British English and can refer to the fixture or the room; 'lavatory' sounds more formal or old-fashioned.
- bathroom
- In American English, 'bathroom' is the usual polite term for a room with a toilet, even if there is no bath.
- restroom
- This is a polite American term for a public lavatory; it is not used much in British English.
Commonly confused: a lavatory or laboratory?
a lavatory vs laboratory
A laboratory is a room for scientific work, while a lavatory is a toilet. They sound similar but are very different.
Practice
Which word is a polite, formal term for a toilet?
Choose one answer.
'Lavatory' means a toilet or the room containing one. 'Laboratory' is a science room, 'lavender' is a plant, and 'lava' is molten rock.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a lavatory”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.