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Glite Dictionary
W.C.

W.C.

4.5
A small room with a toilet in public places
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : aseo
  • Please ask the manager where the nearest W.C. is located.

Examples

  • The sign on the door clearly indicated the W.C. for guests.

  • The W.C. is located at the end of the hall.

  • On older trains in the UK, W.C. was commonly used instead of 'toilet.'

  • Where is the W.C.?

  • In the cafe, there was a sign pointing to the ladies' W.C. in the corner.

  • He hurried to the W.C. before the movie started.

  • The hotel offers a clean W.C. in each guest room for convenience.

Synonyms

loo
vsW.C.
  • UK
39 8.5

A small room with a toilet that people use to pee or poo

is the more formal or neutral British term rather than casual speech
closet
vsW.C.
  • Archaic
30 8.0

A small room with a toilet in older British houses

is the broader modern British term used for similar small toilet rooms
washroom
vsW.C.
  • Canadian
20 1.0

A room with toilets and sinks, often in a public building

is the compact British compartment for a toilet rather than a public wash area
lavatory
vsW.C.
19 2.0

A room with a toilet and a sink for washing hands

is the shorter British label that refers specifically to that toilet area
water closet
vsW.C.
  • Archaic
3 6.1

A small room with a toilet for people to use

is the shorter British label for that same type of room
lav
vsW.C.
  • UK
3 8.4

A room with a toilet and sink

is the more formal British label rather than the casual short form
toilet facility
vsW.C.
2 1.2

A room or building with toilets for public use

is the smaller, single-room British term rather than a public building
toilet room
vsW.C.
  • UK
1 1.0

A small room with a toilet for people to use

is the traditional British short term for that small enclosed space
wash room
vsW.C.
  • Canadian
1.0

A public room with toilets and sinks for cleaning hands

is the small private British toilet compartment not a public facility
smallest room
vsW.C.
  • Informal
7.3

A small private room for using the toilet

is the standard British name for that actual small toilet room, not a joke

Surface Forms

W.C. singular
WCs plural
water closets plural
water closet singular

Morphology

W.C. = water + closet (semi-transparent) = W + C

W.C. is an initialism of 'water closet'; knowing the two words gives a general idea (a small room), but the historical phrase and its use to mean 'toilet' is not fully predictable for many learners.

Etymology

W.C. is short for water closet, a phrase that once meant a 'small room' with water for washing or flushing. So W.C. is still used to mean a room with a 'toilet'.