Dictionary

ladies' room en · NOUN

Etymology

Originally in reference to any chamber or suite reserved for the use of women, whether public or private. Popularized by its use as a clipped form of ladies' waiting room in reference to gender-separated facilities at train stations, etc. Its use in reference to lavatories replaced other euphemisms including cloak room, lavatory room, toilet room, private room, etc.

Meanings

1. A room belonging to or intended for some or all women, particularly
   • The assailants soon became masters of the whole house, except the room where the general was, and which was strongly barred, and they kept up a constant firing of musketry into the windows and doors, except into those of the ladies' room. 1825, “Peleg Wadsworth”, in American Military Biography, page 198:
   • ...a hanging stair of fifty-one steps... leads to the main hall, ladies' room, and balconies. 1825, James Haig, A Topographical and Historical account of the Town of Kelso, and of the Town and Castle of Roxburgh, page 137:
2. (historical) A room belonging to or intended for some or all women ▸ A waiting room in a railway station or other public building intended exclusively for women and usually including a separate women's lavatory.
   • ...Passenger House, containing ticket office, baggage room, ladies' room, gentlemen's room, water closet, say 50 feet by 20 feet... 1856, Journals of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada, volume 14, number 1, page 71:
   • Arconum—I found two chairs wanting in the gentlemen's room, and the bath room attached applied to other purposes; the ladies' room was clean, and properly furnished, with the exception of two basins which were removed; the privies and urinaries clean... 1864 January 26, J.G. Lindsay, letter to P.P.L. O'Connel, §8
   • He had no lady with him, and his excuse for being in the ladies' room was, the gentlemen's room was too filthy. The little room into which he had gone was the ladies' water-closet... There were signs plainly printed on the doors, showing which rooms were for gentlemen and which for ladies and over the entrance to the little room, from which appellee was ejected, is printed the words: "Ladies' Private Room." 1875 January, John Scholfield, opinion of the Illinois Supreme Court in TW&W Ry Co v Williams
3. (euphemistic) A room belonging to or intended for some or all women ▸ A public restroom intended for use by females.
   • The women's toilet (as distinguished from the ladies' room in a speakeasy, the johnny at school, the little girls' room at a party in an apartment, and the wash-my-hands on a train) was clean enough. 1935, John O'Hara, BUtterfield 8, Ch. ix, p. 279

Forms

Coordinates

gentlemen's room

Deriveds

ladies' · ladies

Synonyms

women's room (women's waiting room) · bathroom (lavatory)

Translations (20)

fr toilettes femmes (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · tr kadınlar tuvaleti (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · sv damtoalett (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · ru же́нский туале́т (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · bg да́мска тоале́тна (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · de Damenumkleideraum (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · ru же́нская убо́рная (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · bg же́нска тоале́тна (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · de Damentoilette (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · yue 女廁 /女厕 (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · hu női WC (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · cmn 化妝室 /化妆室 (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · yue 女界 (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · hu női mosdó (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · pl toaleta damska (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · fi naistenhuone (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · cmn 女廁 /女厕 (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · sv damernas (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · ro toaletă feminină (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet) · hu női vécé (lavatory intended for women — see also toilet)