towel rail
- noun
- UK
- The new towel rail allows us to organize our towels neatly and keep the bathroom tidy.
Examples
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And then we also had two heated towel rails put in this room, which is also another great space for drying things.
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Although I will be changing this towel rail radiator and also the taps because I hate anything silver or Chrome.
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In the bathroom, there is a towel rail where I hang all my damp towels to dry.
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After a shower, I always reach for a fresh towel from the towel rail next to the sink.
Synonyms
A bar or frame for hanging towels to dry in a bathroom
A bar fixed to a wall for hanging towels
How Many
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a horizontal bar for hanging towels' is directly and compositionally derived from 'towel' (an item to dry with) and 'rail' (a horizontal bar). This is a transparent compound following common noun+noun composition found across many languages (e.g. porte-serviettes, toallero), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reliably infer the meaning.
Etymology
Towel rail comes from the simple picture of a long bar, the rail, fixed to a wall where you hang a towel to 'dry' after use. That's why it means a bar on the wall for hanging and storing towels.