lavatory
noun
lav·a·to·ry
ˈla-və-ˌtȯr-ē 
British -və-t(ə-)rē
plural lavatories
1
: a vessel (such as a basin) for washing
especially
: a fixed bowl or basin with running water and drainpipe for washing
2
: a room with conveniences for washing and usually with one or more toilets
the airplane's lavatory
3
lavatory
adjective
Synonyms
Examples of lavatory in a Sentence
a wide choice of lavatories on sale at plumbing supply stores
the school's filthy, broken-down lavatories were a disgrace
Recent Examples on the Web
The amenity kit and lavatories have some thoughtful products like a wrinkle-reducing spray for clothes (important after a long flight).
—
Ramsey Qubein, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 July 2023
Shortly after that incident, authorities said a search of Thompson’s iCloud account revealed four more instances between January and August 2023 of him recording minors using lavatories on planes.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2024
Now, new federal rules aim to improve in-flight restroom access for travelers with disabilities: All new single-aisle planes with at least 125 seats will need to have accessible lavatories, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced last week.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Aug. 2023
The male passenger, who was traveling from Salt Lake City to New Orleans, ended up stuck in a lavatory for 35 minutes after the door got jammed mid-flight.
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024
Disability advocates say some passengers put their health at risk by dehydrating themselves before a flight, reducing the changes of needing to move to the lavatory.
—Gregory Wallace, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024
Unlike most helicopters, this RAM aircraft includes a lavatory and is still one of the most economical choices its array of capabilities at $14 million.
—Dan Sloat, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2024
Several passengers on board Flight 1533 said the security concern was a bomb threat written in one of the plane's lavatories, but authorities did not immediately confirm the nature of the threat.
—Lawrence Yee, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2024
In Nevada, a stadium like Allegiant is required to provide about one lavatory for every 120 men and one for every 60 women.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 3 Feb. 2024
Ramsey Qubein, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 July 2023
Shortly after that incident, authorities said a search of Thompson’s iCloud account revealed four more instances between January and August 2023 of him recording minors using lavatories on planes.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2024
Now, new federal rules aim to improve in-flight restroom access for travelers with disabilities: All new single-aisle planes with at least 125 seats will need to have accessible lavatories, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced last week.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Aug. 2023
The male passenger, who was traveling from Salt Lake City to New Orleans, ended up stuck in a lavatory for 35 minutes after the door got jammed mid-flight.
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024
Disability advocates say some passengers put their health at risk by dehydrating themselves before a flight, reducing the changes of needing to move to the lavatory.
—Gregory Wallace, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024
Unlike most helicopters, this RAM aircraft includes a lavatory and is still one of the most economical choices its array of capabilities at $14 million.
—Dan Sloat, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2024
Several passengers on board Flight 1533 said the security concern was a bomb threat written in one of the plane's lavatories, but authorities did not immediately confirm the nature of the threat.
—Lawrence Yee, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2024
In Nevada, a stadium like Allegiant is required to provide about one lavatory for every 120 men and one for every 60 women.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 3 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lavatory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Lavatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lavatory. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lavatory
noun
lav·a·to·ry
ˈlav-ə-ˌtōr-ē
-ˌtȯr-
plural lavatories
1
: a basin for washing
especially
: a small sink with running water and drainpipe
2
: a room with lavatories and usually with toilets
3
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