little boys' room en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
Etymology
Originally from the need to find public lavatories for children, but subsequently used more broadly.
Meanings
-
(euphemistic, informal) Synonym of men's room: a public lavatory intended for use by men.
He accidentally locked himself in the ca—in the little boys' room.
1934 August 18, Liberty, page 40:Excuse me, where is the little boys' room? My son is about to burst a bladder.
The first [sc. cartoon], representing a very young chap seeking directions to the little boys' room in the Metropolitan Museum, prompted the management to frame it and hang it in the aforesaid room.
1938 November 25, Princeton Alumni Weekly, page 209:
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: A room belonging to or used by little boys, particularly their bedroom.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| little boy's room | alternative | lexicographic | |
| little boys room | alternative | lexicographic | |
| little boys' rooms | Number=Plur | lexicographic |