Bathrooms

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A space in a residence or commercial building designed for personal care activities, which typically includes a toilet and sink along with bathing amenities An area used for hygiene practices, often containing essential fixtures like a toilet, basin, and sometimes a tub or shower for cleaning purposes A designated room aimed at personal cleanliness, frequently featuring plumbing installations for washing and sanitation, including common items like showers and toilets
2. A room in a house or public place where people can wash themselves, usually containing a toilet, sink, and a bath or shower
3. A private or communal space designed for personal hygiene, often outfitted with plumbing for bathing and toilet use

Etymology: "Bathrooms" is the plural of "bathroom", a compound of "bath" and "room". The "bath" half descends from Old English "bæþ", which goes back to a Proto-Germanic root shared with the Germanic languages generally, and the "room" half comes from Old English "rūm", meaning space or extent, a sense it still carries in "elbowroom" and "roomy". Put together, the word literally means a room for bathing, and the older meaning of "room" as open space explains why it sits so naturally beside "bath" in the compound. The same pattern appears across the Germanic family: Dutch "badkamer", German "Badezimmer", Swedish "badrum" and Faroese "baðrúm" all build a bathroom from a bathing word plus a word for room. English, then, is following a common Germanic habit rather than inventing something new, and the word's parts have stayed close to their original meanings throughout.

Synonyms: restrooms, washrooms, toilets, lavatories, facilities