powder room
18
2.8
- noun
- /ˈpaʊdər ruːm/
- US
:
baño de mujeres
- The first floor consisted of a foyer, large living and dining rooms, a small library, a kitchen, and a powder room.
- go to the powder room
- visit the powder room
- guest powder room
When she goes to the powder room, which, you know, maybe you'd tip a dollar.
- When she goes to the powder room, which, you know, maybe you'd tip a dollar.
Examples
-
The short, plump technician leads Marea into what looks like a powder room.
Fiction book (1996) -
I'm going to use the powder room.
-
I will take you to the powder room.
-
The powder room is in the park.
-
The powder room's down the hall.
-
So, where's the powder room?
-
I needed to go anyway, so I plowed through the kitchen and into the little powder room we have off it.
Fiction book (2002) -
Pearl comes out of the powder room in her new two-piece plaid suit.
Fiction book (2000) -
However, the new place has a dreamily lovely powder room, and I've got a few ideas on how to make it even nicer.
Blog text (17) -
She excused herself to visit the powder room before dinner.
Synonyms
133
1.0
A public room with toilets and sinks for people to use
76
1.0
A public toilet for women
20
1.0
A room with toilets and sinks, often in a public building
19
2.0
A room with a toilet and a sink for washing hands
7
1.0
A room with toilets and sinks that anyone can use in public places
3
6.1
A small room with a toilet for people to use
3
8.4
A room with a toilet and sink
2
1.2
A room or building with toilets for public use
1
1.0
A small room with a toilet for people to use
A small private room for using the toilet
A public room with toilets and sinks for cleaning hands
A small room with a toilet in public places
How Formal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound links 'powder' (cosmetics) with 'room', so a learner who knows the words can plausibly infer a place to freshen up or apply make-up, which points toward a small bathroom. However, its conventional euphemistic use specifically as a (women's) restroom is culturally specific and not fully predictable from the parts alone, so it is only partially transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Powder room likely comes from a time when women used a small private room to put on or freshen face powder and makeup before going back into company. That's why the name became a polite way to say a 'women's restroom' or a 'small guest bathroom'.