outhouse

noun

out·​house ˈau̇t-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce outhouse (audio)
plural outhouses ˈau̇t-ˌhau̇-zəz How to pronounce outhouse (audio)
 also  -səz
: outbuilding
… barns, stables, and other outhousesWayne R. LaFave and Austin W. Scott, Jr.
especially : privy sense 1a
They lived in an off-the-grid cabin with an out-door kitchen and an outhouse. Diane Daniel
Royal Cove's official outhouse didn't have a name, so we dubbed it Maggie's Loo, in honor of Princess Margaret of Great Britain. John Vigor
He calls an outhouse a toilet, because the only toilets his family had while he was growing up were outhouses. David Owen

Examples of outhouse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For example, if someone anywhere else in the country gets trapped in an outhouse toilet, is submerged to the waist in fetid muck and must be extracted by fire fighters, Florida Man is jealous and will consider suing for copyright infringement. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024 Today, the bare-bones base still attracts hard-core skiers who don’t mind using an outhouse and preparing meals on a camp stove. Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 3 Feb. 2024 Younger children will also be able to enjoy the Shrek’s Swamp for Little Ogres play area, which will have four slides, wet play areas, a playground and Shrek’s outhouse. Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 According to the release, first responders heard the woman yelling from the outhouse. Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 21 Sep. 2023 The petition was launched following a case in Jiangsu Province in which a woman was trafficked three times and purchased by a family that kept her chained up in an outhouse. Patrick Frater, Variety, 17 Nov. 2023 The original structure, the historic Sheldon Mountain House, was a rustic 212-square-foot hut with a wood-burning stove, four bunks, and an outhouse. Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 20 Oct. 2023 Shake out your boots before slipping them on for that late-night outhouse run. Steven Hill, Field & Stream, 25 Oct. 2023 Their home has an outhouse and lacks running water, apart from a well with a pump. Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'outhouse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of outhouse was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near outhouse

Cite this Entry

“Outhouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outhouse. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

outhouse

noun
out·​house ˈau̇t-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce outhouse (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on outhouse

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