It wasn’t until the early 20th century that the modern bathroom, combining both bathing facilities and toilets into one integrated space, became common.
Combining toilets and bathtubs in one room is a smart way to save space and make plumbing easier. However, this setup can make it less private, which is a problem in places where people share the bathroom.
The phrase “water closet” has changed over time to mean a small, private room in a bigger bathroom that is just for the toilet. These water closets usually have a tiny sink for washing hands, which makes them handy and all-in-one.
Toilet in bathroom / Credit: Shutterstock
People on Reddit were trying to figure out why we call a public restroom a “bathroom” when there’s no bath in it. They shared their thoughts in a post titled, “Why is a public WC called bathroom if there is [no] bath?”.
Responding to the message, a Redditor writes, “Americans might similarly ask: ‘Why is it called a WC (water closet) if it isn’t even a closet?” the comment continues to explain that a “bathroom” or “restroom” is the “preferred US euphemism for ‘room with toilet,’ whereas other places use ‘WC,’ ‘lavatory,’ ‘loo’ etc.”
In Russian, they say it’s “a room without windows” even if there is a window, one person explains. Another person chimes in, saying that in Esperanto, it’s called necesejo, which means “necessary place.”
Meanwhile, other Redditors discussed washroom versus bathroom and restroom.
A user online mentioned, “In Canada, they often say Washroom,” while another person added, “I live in the Midwest, and we use washroom a lot too. But I think bathroom or restroom are the most popular terms.”
“Best one, I think. You should be washing in there,” adds another. “…not resting.”
What do you think about bathrooms, and what do you usually call the room that has a toilet? We’d love to hear your opinions, so please share them with us and pass this along to others so we can get more responses!
