"toilet" or "restroom"

Toilet in UK, restroom or bathroom in US, washroom in Canada, and I don't know about other places.

In US toilet feels a little vulgar. Like “you are giving me too much information.” Restroom or bathroom leaves it open that you need to wash your hands or throw water on your face.

My understanding is that "restroom" and "bathroom" are easily the most common in the US, while we tend to find "toilet" to be a bit awkward, bordering on vulgar. In UK English, "toilet" seems to be far more common. I wouldn't see "restroom" as a more formal version. It's more about dialect and custom, from my experience.

in the USA, a toilet is the thing you sit on (🚽), and the room it's in is a bathroom or restroom

Depends where. Toilet in British Engllish, restroom in American English. With a thousand exceptions and other options.

In the US at least, bathroom is usually used for a residence (whether or not the room has a bath in it), and restroom for a business, though bathroom is colloquially used for both. Restroom is more formal, though I don't think many people use it in a residence context, unless perhaps they're trying to be overly polite for some reason, eg "I'm going to use the restroom."

"Bathroom" is the room with the toilet in it. "Bathroom" is slightly informal, but I would use it when inside a house. "Restroom" is the same as "bathroom" but more formal, people usually use this term when out and about, like in a restaurant. "Toilet" is the actual thing you sit on. But could also be used as a slightly vulgar way to refer to the bathroom.

In a formal setting I would advise you to use restroom, in any other setting, use which you like/feel comfortable saying.

I'm in the US and I always say restroom, but most people around here say bathroom.

Canada here - everyone I know calls it a washroom.

located in canada. "toilet" is always used for the actual toilet - the thing you pee or poop or throw up into. i don't know of another word that's commonly used for it, except for jokey colloquial ones. for this reason, you *can* say 'toilet' to mean the room that it's in, but people consider it a bit crude. in canada the most commonly used word is 'washroom'. you'll always be directed to a room that has a toilet in it, if you use that.

In the US, the “toilet” is the name of the appliance. We do not talk about it as if it was the room you use. We say “restroom.” Other English speaking countries don’t. We also say “bathroom,” regardless of if the room has a bath or shower, which apparently can be confusing to people not from the US. They say “toilet” in Britain, and that’s normal and acceptable, there. In Canada, you’ll hear “washroom.”

Let's not beat around the bush here. You go to the dunny!

Southern US native speaker. I would say it depends a lot on context, location, formality, etc. John, can, shitter, potty, facilities, loo, porcelain throne, water closet, privy, little boys' room, necessary room, latrine - seldom used by me, but i'd understand what it means. Outhouse - outdoor facility which probably doesn't have running water Porta-potty - at a construction site or outdoor venue Head - nautical contexts, or being funny Toilet - if for some reason a distinction from urinal was necessary. Men's or Women's room - if you found one, but couldn't find the other for some reason. Bathroom - normally in a residential context. For example I wouldn't use this word referring to the facilities in a restaurant. Restroom - can be used to refer to a bathroom as well. Probably the most natural sounding one for me. I have no idea why I went into so much depth here. Lol. Sorry if this is beyond the scope of answer you were looking for.

"Little boy's/Little girl's room" is not uncommon in the UK. Toilet is common, as is loo. Bathroom is different, not oft used.

In the US, toilet is the porcelain object and it sounds crude to refer to it in polite company. In a home we refer to it as a bathroom (if you’re a guest and want to sound formal, you might inquire after the powder room). In a restaurant or other public setting, it’s a restroom, men’s room, or ladies’ room.

In North America, the toilet is the porcelain object on which you sit (or in front of which you stand) to do your business. The room in which it’s located is most generally known as a bathroom, but a bathroom in a public place like an office or a restaurant is usually called a restroom in the U.S. and a washroom in Canada (though you may occasionally see each term used in the other country).

In the U.S., the restroom is a room with a toilet and sink. A toilet is the actual thing you use to flush away your bodily waste.

Loo is your best option in all scenarios

For what it's worth it's a minor issue, both are easily understood, and neither are rude (US English). I would use "restroom" if you just want to use one word in any situation. Most people use "bathroom" inside a house but it's the kind of thing that I doubt anyone will notice or think twice about. "Toilet" is usually used for the plumbing fixture specifically in the US, not the entire room, but we're familiar with the fact that other English speakers use it differently. English is a very flexible language because there are so many dialects.

UK: Toilet or rarely bathroom, or exceptionally rarely: w.c pronounced as the initials. See also: lav(atory), loo, bog.

UK - Bathroom - polite, might sound weird when referring to just public toilets… it sounds a bit domestic, almost. Sometimes it sounds a little euphemistic, “im using the bathroom” almost feels like a “back off please this is private”. Toilet - normal, you can use this to teachers, your boss, your friends, your dog whatever. “I need the toilet” “im going toilet” “please may I go to the toilet” “im on the toilet” are pretty common sentences in my area (manchester). Loo - i rarely hear this but its definitely a thing in the UK, maybe just not where I am, its a bit more casual than toilet id say. Men’s room - euphemistic, overly polite way of saying the “men’s toilets” Weirdly enough i never hear “women’s room” Bog, Shitter, etc. - incredibly informal, maybe a bit funny. These are dysphymisms, dont use them with people youre meant to be respectful towards. Its ok to use them with strangers, in the UK i dont think there really is a politeness around people you don’t know, if youre about the same age and meet in an informal place, you can talk how you want, ofc if you meet at an office its a bit different

In the UK it’s always toilet. If you ask for the restroom or bathroom you might not be directed to the right place, though usually people will know what you mean due to how prevalent American television and film is. I remember hearing an anecdote of an American staying in a British person’s house, they asked where the bathroom was and was confused to be pointed to a room that only had a bath in and no toilet. Only to repeatedly say “no, I need to use the bathroom”, much to the confusion of the hosts.

US: if it’s in a house, it’s a bathroom (even if it’s got no bath). Everywhere else it’s a restroom

Washroom

“Restroom” makes me cringe. I universally say “toilet” unless I’m on an airplane, in which case I say “lav/lavatory.”

TBH anywhere in the English speaking world someone will understand 'Toilet', 'Bathroom', 'Restroom'. They may even understand 'Powder room' or 'Lavatory' which are somewhat less common antiquated. They will probably even understand most slang terms like... 'Throne room', 'John', 'Shitter', 'Bog', 'Loo', 'Long drop', etc.

I use toilet or loo, but i can pretty much understand most regional terms from all over the world. I am from NZ.

Washroom is a relatively unique to Canada.

What's the main difference between these terms? I work in an entertainment venue, and I'll see a guest looking for relief, and I'll say _"Restroom is over here"_, and they'll ask for the toilet. I'll reply, _"over here"_, and wonder why they didn't understand me.

"Restroom" is a more formal term. It's typically used in public places, such as restaurants, stores, and schools. "Toilet" is a more informal term that's used in everyday conversation. In general, use "restroom" in formal settings and "toilet" in informal settings. Except, for example, you might use "toilet" in a formal setting if you're talking to a child or someone who's not familiar with "restroom". If you're unsure, use restroom. You can also use "bathroom", which is a more general term that can refer to both. If you're writing for a specific audience, such as children, use "toilet" instead of "restroom".

Restroom might not be understood in the UK. Most people have had enough exposure to US culture to recognise it, but not everyone. Also a bathroom might be understood as a room with a bath: if you are at someone's house it would be understood to mean the khazi, but (say) a train wouldn't have a bathroom, it would have a toilet.

I was taught to never use the word toilet in English because it originally meant that outhouse with a bucket, and it is a crude word. I will usually say restroom or bathroom. Or specifically in the UK, "loo". I know that informally, many people use toilet as well as a bunch of slang. But avoid slang unless you know the implication of it well and know your audience.

*Toilet* is universal. *Restroom* is more American English. I don't know why, but Americans seem to be incredibly squeamish about saying "toilet"

Bathroom

Khazi

"Toilet" is extremely informal. I would only use it if I were at a close friend's house. In my opinion "bathroom" is safe to use in all situations (private and public spaces) - even if there's only a toilet and no "bath."

Bathroom, restroom, and wash room are the most common ways to say it. I think British English also uses "Water closet". You could also jokingly call it "The little boys room". Or "The head" if you wanted to sound more like a sailor. Women sometimes called it "Powdering my nose" For slang you could say something like "Drain the lizard" But usually we (Americans in the North East) don't use "toilet" as much as we just say Bathroom or Restroom.

In the *United States,* a toilet is the actual porcelain receptacle that you urinate or defecate it. In the UK (and maybe other English speaking places), it's the room that in the US is referred to as the restroom or the bathroom. Note, there doesn't have to be a bath in the bathroom. It's the room where the toilet is. If you're in the US and you need to use the facilities (another euphemism), you can ask someone where the bathroom or restroom is (generally, if you're in someone's house), or where bathrooms or restrooms are (in public). Bathrooms and restrooms are synonymous. If you ask someone "where's the toilet," they're going to look at you weird.

In NZ we would mostly say toilet or loo or bathroom (favouring toilet). We also use wharepaku (te reo Māori word) and we would also understand washroom, lavatory, ladies or men's room, little girls' or little boys' room, powder room, can, bog, dunny, WC, pisser or crapper, etc. So many options😂

You should use "bathroom" or "restroom" in basically all cases

In the UK (and France), the toilet is the room where the toilet is. In the US, the toilet is just the toilet and the room is referred to as the bathroom/restroom/washroom.

*lavatory*

You've had the answer, so I won't repeat it yet again. Instead, here's a picturesque alternative, the Scottish English word **cludgie**, which can mean the toilet itself, or the brick-built shed behind the house or tenement building that has the toilet in it, or the room inside the house where the toilet is located. Probably not the politest word, and won't be understood outside of Scotland.

Aussies just say toilet. If you want to be ocker, or are talking about a long-drop, you could say ‘dunny’.

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