

It refers to an outside toilet and is predominantly used in Scotland. Boghouse comes from the British slang meaning to defecate, so when you go the bog, you really are being quite literal! CludgieĪnother rather vulgar term for toilet is ‘cludgie’. One of the cruder words on this list, the use of the word ‘bog’ to refer to the toilet dates back to 1789, when it took the form ‘boghouse’. So, with the origins of the word toilet established, let’s take a look at some alternative words to toilet. By the twentieth century, the word toilet had lost its former meaning of getting ready in the morning. In fact, the whole process of getting ready in the morning became known as ‘completing one’s toilet’.Īs going to the toilet in a chamber pot was part of this process, the word toile became increasingly associated with the physical act of ‘going to the toilet’. The word then gained a broader meaning, covering various procedures and routines that involved getting ready for the day ahead.


This cloth would be draped over someone while their hair was being groomed. Toilette itself has its roots in another word ‘toile’, which means ‘cloth’. The word toilet is French in origin and is derived from the word ‘toilette’, which translates as ‘dressing room’, rather than today’s meaning. Let’s begin with the most popular - toilet. Read on to discover some alternative words for toilet and where they come from. So, in celebration of the fact that the human race has such a huge range of names for this most private of facilities, we’ve put together a list of the alternative words for toilet that are used across the UK, Europe and internationally. Bog, Loo, Shi… that’s enough! Everyone has a different name for the humble toilet that sits centre stage in bathroom suites across the world.
