wc

wc — noun

1. a room or small building that contains a toilet, especially one in a public plac

1.nounB1
Definition

a room or small building that contains a toilet, especially one in a public place or shared building, marked with the letters 'WC'

Example

Felipe needed to use the WC, so he asked the cafe waiter for directions.

The WC at the train station was closed for cleaning.

Common collocations
  • public WC
  • men's WC
  • women's WC
  • ground-floor WC
  • WC sign
Synonyms
  • toilet

    the most neutral and common term in British English; less formal than WC

  • lavatory

    a more formal and slightly old-fashioned alternative, common on airplanes

  • restroom

    the standard American English term, not generally used in the UK

Usage Note

WC is most commonly seen on signs and in written notices rather than in everyday conversation, where 'toilet' or 'bathroom' is more typical.

Common Mistakes

I need to find a water closet.
I need to find a WC.
'water closet' is very old-fashioned; the abbreviation 'WC' is the normal modern form.

wc — abbreviation

Word family

  • water closet
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms refer to a room with a toilet, but they differ in region and formality. WC is a written abbreviation (from 'water closet') most often seen on signs in the UK, Europe, and parts of Asia; it is rarely used in American English or in casual speech. Toilet is the standard everyday word in British English and many other varieties, but in American English it can sound blunt or overly direct. Lavatory is more formal and somewhat dated, though it remains common on airplanes ('lavatory occupied'). Restroom is the preferred American English term for a public toilet, considered polite but neutral. In the UK, restroom is understood but sounds American. A simple rule: in the UK say 'toilet' or look for 'WC'; in the US say 'restroom'.

WC ↗toilet ↗lavatoryrestroom

Common collocations

Nouns

  • WC sign
  • WC door
  • WC symbol
  • WC facilities
  • WC unit

Phrases

  • go to the WC
  • use the WC
  • marked WC
  • label as WC
  • indicate WC

Etymology

EnglishFrench (closet → closet)

WC is an abbreviation of 'water closet', a term that first appeared in the 19th century to describe a new indoor toilet design that used water to flush waste through pipes. 'Closet' originally meant a small private room. The abbreviation WC became a standard label on signs in British English and spread across Europe and Asia.