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Glite Dictionary
public convenience

public convenience

2.7
A toilet in a public place that anyone can use
  • noun
  • /ˈpʌblɪk kənˈviːniəns/
  • UK
translation icon : aseo público
  • The park has a clean public convenience that is available for all visitors.

Examples

  • I need to find a public convenience before we continue our walk.

  • You don't have a permit to build an outdoor public convenience.

    It Runs in the Family (1994)

  • Wipe your nose and shut your mouth... and tell everyone you fell and skinned your knees going to the public convenience.

    Hombre (1967)

  • During the event, portable public conveniences were set up for the attendees.

Synonyms

restroom
vspublic convenience
  • US
133 1.0

A public room with toilets and sinks for people to use

is the general public facility term rather than a specific style
convenience
vspublic convenience
  • UK
49 2.8

A public room with a toilet for people to use

is the standard descriptive term rather than a colloquial label
public restroom
vspublic convenience
  • US
9 1.0

A toilet people can use in public places like parks or stations

is the broader public facility term, not limited to buildings
public toilet
vspublic convenience
  • UK
7 1.0

A room with toilets and sinks that anyone can use in public places

is the general label for such publicly available facilities
toilet facility
vspublic convenience
2 1.2

A room or building with toilets for public use

is the more generic public facility concept without structural emphasis
comfort station
vspublic convenience
  • Archaic
1 3.2

A public toilet for people to use

is the common modern term used for such public facilities
public lavatory
vspublic convenience
2.0

A toilet in a public place that anyone can use

is the neutral, everyday term for the same public facility
wash room
vspublic convenience
  • Canadian
1.0

A public room with toilets and sinks for cleaning hands

covers that space but highlights availability for any public sanitary need

Surface Forms

public convenience singular
public conveniences plural

Morphology

public + convenience

The meaning is directly compositional: 'public' = available to everyone and 'convenience' (in this sense) = a lavatory/restroom, so together they denote a toilet for public use. Although 'convenience' as 'toilet' is primarily a British euphemism, if a learner knows that constituent sense the overall meaning is immediately derivable.

Etymology

Public convenience comes from a polite way of speaking: people used the word convenience to mean a 'toilet', and public shows it was for everyone to use. So today public convenience means a toilet in a public place.