lavatorylav‧a‧to‧ry /ˈlævətəri $ -tɔːri/ ●○○ noun (plural lavatories) [countable] 
Word Origin
Word OriginWORD ORIGINlavatory
ExamplesOrigin:
1300-1400 Medieval Latin lavatorium ‘bowl for washing in’, from Latin lavare ‘to wash’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- Even the lavatory was luxurious, with a marble interior and soft, white hand towels.
- The public lavatories are situated on the other side of the beach.
THESAURUS► toilet
Collocations British English a room with a toilet in it, in someone’s house or in a public place: · He locked himself in the toilet.· the public toilets
► bathroom a room with a toilet in it, in someone’s house. In British English, bathroom is used especially when you want to be polite. In American English, it is the usual word to use: · He asked to use the bathroom.
► restroom American English a room in a public place that has one or more toilets in it: · She went into the store to use the restroom.
► lavatory formal a room with a toilet in it. In American English lavatory is used mainly for toilets in a public building or on a plane. In British English it is used both about public toilets and toilets in people’s houses: · public lavatories· He didn’t have time to visit the lavatory.
► loo British English informal, john American English informal a room with a toilet in it. Loo is very common in everyday spoken British English: · ‘Where’s Chris?’ ‘He’s in the loo.’· Can I use your loo?· Where’s the john?
► bog British English informal a very informal word for a toilet, which is not considered polite: · The nearest bog was miles away.
► the ladies British English, the ladies’ room American English a public toilet for women: · Where’s the ladies?· I need to go to the ladies’ room.
► the gents British English, the men’s room American English a public toilet for men: · I followed him into the gents.· I’ve got to go to the men’s room. Excuse me.
► latrine an outdoor toilet in a camp or military area: · The latrines were in a shocking state.
► urinal a type of toilet for men that is attached to a wall: · He was standing at the urinal.
► potty a bowl that babies use as a toilet: · Does he need his potty?
► commode a chair with a bowl in it, used as a toilet, especially in hospitals and homes for old people: · She has to use a commode.
► bedpan a container which is used as a toilet, especially in hospitals by people who are too ill or weak to get out of bed: · I had to change the bedpans.
Longman Language Activatora toilet/rest room► toilet British a room containing a toilet: · "Where's the toilet?" "Downstairs on the right."men's/women's/ladies' toilets: · There's a huge queue in the ladies' toilets.public toilets: · Pat refuses to use the public toilets in this country because they are always so dirty.
► bathroom a toilet, especially in someone's house: · The bathroom is next to Jack's room.· "Can I use your bathroom?" "Sure, go ahead."
► loo/bog British informal /john American informal a toilet: · Where's the loo?· Tony's in the john. He'll be back in a minute.· It's a good pub, but the bogs are terrible!
► restroom/washroom American the toilets in a public place: · Do you have restrooms here?· There's no paper in the washroom.
► the gents British /the men's room American the men's toilets in a public place: · Can you tell me where the men's room is please?· "Where's Kevin?" "He went to the gents."
► the ladies British /the ladies' room American the women's toilets in a public place: · Wait for me outside. I'm going to the ladies.· The ladies' room is just around the corner.
► lavatory formal a toilet: · Even the lavatory was luxurious, with a marble interior and soft, white hand towels. public lavatory: · The public lavatories are situated on the other side of the beach.
► WC especially British, written a toilet - used especially in written information about buildings: · All our holiday apartments have a double bedroom, small kitchen, bathroom, and WC.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE► outside
formal a toilet or the room a toilet is in· Beyond them other streets with narrow rear alleyways and outside lavatories stretched all the way to the main road.· She noticed outside lavatories on the first landing - thank goodness she didn't have to put up with that.· It has a small kitchen and an outside lavatory, and the bathroom is shared with other people in the house.· Thanks to Chavez, farm-owners now provide outside lavatories for workers; he also prompted legislation to outlaw the hated short hoe.· For instance, we will invest £30 million to ensure that within 12 months, no child has to use an outside lavatory.
► public· The railings of the public lavatories on this side of the river were dark-green, heavy and ancient.· It had a slightly hollow quality, like some one speaking in a cave or a public lavatory.· Harsh words led to action, and Haston despatched him down the public lavatory stairs.· The Crown's case was that the men were found by the police in a public lavatory behaving indecently towards each other.· He rightly said that passenger facilities were absolutely appalling, especially the absence of adequate public lavatories.· The symbol of the new age is the new Euston, an all-purpose combination of airport lounge and open-plan public lavatory.· These include public lavatories, dance halls, casinos and, most important of all, development over twenty metres in height.· Delia Sutherland sat on a bench, the river view blocked by a public lavatory.
NOUN► bowl· Firemen with metal cutters extricated him - and the lavatory bowl - from the train.· It seemed so feeble and spindly floating there next to the toilet paper in the lavatory bowl.· I, too, began to fear for my life as I stooped over the lavatory bowl.
► paper· Unknown to the teacher he had taken with him a test tube of the acid to test its reaction with lavatory paper.· In those days there were no lavatory paper and sanitary towels, so old rags were used.· It was like smoking a bonfire rolled up in lavatory paper.· Nkrumah managed to keep up a correspondence by writing on lavatory paper which he wheedled out of his cellmates.· Ditto lavatory paper, soap, rubbish bags, shampoo etc.
VERB► flush· She talked to Susan about it being flushed away and that Susan could flush the lavatory when she had finished.· She flushed the lavatory, although she hadn't used it.· Solar-powered pumps draw water from a lake to flush the lavatories at the Cragside estate in Northumberland.· I tore my lunch invitation to Carla into little pieces and flushed them down the lavatory.· Most of the water that we use does not go on drinking, washing or flushing the lavatory.
► go· He had gone to the lavatory and pressed the flush absent-mindedly with the damaged hand.· Here we crouched, ankle-deep in the wavelets, to wash ourselves or to go to the lavatory.· I told my parents that I wanted to go to the lavatory and have a wash.· What about going to the lavatory?· The Feldwebel said he was going to the lavatory.· He could go ashore to go to the lavatory, but had to return immediately to the raft.· Could be dangerous when you're ten miles high, a mouse going to the lavatory inside your computer.
► sit· Several studies have described this gradual procedure of teaching the child to sit on the lavatory.· Sometimes Gina sat on the lavatory watching him and making a bad smell or laughing.· They would sit in the lavatories and brew up tea in a can by holding a candle underneath.
► use· I never find myself, fatigue in the voice, reminding Flaubert to hang up the bathmat or use the lavatory brush.· At about 11.20 on the night in question he arrived back in his room and wanted to use the lavatory.· He went to Ken's flat - with Kenneth Horne; neither of whom would be allowed to use the lavatory.· With the 3-year-old and older a sticker chart is a useful incentive to using the lavatory correctly.· For instance, we will invest £30 million to ensure that within 12 months, no child has to use an outside lavatory.