john

play

noun \ ˈjän \

Definition of john

[probably short for johnny, johnny house privy]

:toilet

2 :a prostitute's client

See john defined for English-language learners

Examples of john in a Sentence

Excuse me, I have to go to the john.
man, that guy seems to spend hours in the john

Recent Examples of john from the Web

And there along the side street stands a sex worker, also addicted, her throat still bearing the jagged mark of a john’s blade.

— mike newall, Philly.com, "Resisting temptation, when you're young and addicted to heroin in Kensington," 23 June 2017
The monster piece of crispy boneless breast meat on top of a glazed long john crushes the sweet and carb cravings in one swoop — no maple syrup necessary (and thus, no sog).

— chicago tribune, chicagotribune.com, "12 breakfast specialties," 9 June 2017
The arrival of Miranda (Amber Tamblyn), a semi-prostitute with serious student-loan debt and a possibly murderous john, complicates the ménage.

— The New Yorker, "Can You Forgive Her?," 5 June 2017
Fair warning: Bathroom attendants assist you in the john, even though nobody needs or wants that.

— brad a. johnson, Orange County Register, "Mastro’s Steakhouse: No. 10 best place to eat in Orange County," 7 Apr. 2017
Additionally, Perrodin will be required to pay around $1,200 to take a first offender prostitution program, also known as john school.

— nate gartrell, The Mercury News, "Police sex exploitation scandal: Ex-Oakland cop sentenced, allowed to substitute “court watch” for jail time," 7 Mar. 2017
The makers say the johns are made of a super-strong fibrous concrete that can hold up even after a bomb explodes inside.

— adam rawnsley, WIRED, "Oh, Crap! Moscow Mulls Terrorist-Proof Toilets," 9 June 2011
The health-management toilet, a smart john built by the Japanese company Toto, contains a diagnostic system that uses biosensor input to examine your, uh, output.

— wired staff, WIRED, "Tomorrow Today," 1 May 1998

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'john.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of john

from the name John

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1856

See Words from the same year

john Synonyms

Synonyms

bath, bathroom, bog [British], can, cloakroom [British], comfort station, convenience [chiefly British], head, toilet, latrine, lavatory, loo [chiefly British], potty, restroom, washroom, water closet

Related Words

commode, pan [British], pot; garderobe, jakes, outhouse, privy; half bath, powder room; ladies [chiefly British], ladies' room, men's room

John

play

noun \ ˈjän \

Definition of John

1 :a Jewish prophet who according to Gospel accounts foretold Jesus' messianic ministry and baptized him — called also John the Baptist

2 :an apostle who according to various Christian traditions wrote the fourth Gospel, the three Johannine Epistles, and the Book of Revelation

3 :the fourth Gospel in the New Testament — see Bible Table

4 :any of three short didactic letters addressed to early Christians and included in the New Testament — see Bible Table

See John defined for kids

Recent Examples of john from the Web

And there along the side street stands a sex worker, also addicted, her throat still bearing the jagged mark of a john’s blade.

— mike newall, Philly.com, "Resisting temptation, when you're young and addicted to heroin in Kensington," 23 June 2017
The monster piece of crispy boneless breast meat on top of a glazed long john crushes the sweet and carb cravings in one swoop — no maple syrup necessary (and thus, no sog).

— chicago tribune, chicagotribune.com, "12 breakfast specialties," 9 June 2017
The arrival of Miranda (Amber Tamblyn), a semi-prostitute with serious student-loan debt and a possibly murderous john, complicates the ménage.

— The New Yorker, "Can You Forgive Her?," 5 June 2017
Fair warning: Bathroom attendants assist you in the john, even though nobody needs or wants that.

— brad a. johnson, Orange County Register, "Mastro’s Steakhouse: No. 10 best place to eat in Orange County," 7 Apr. 2017
Additionally, Perrodin will be required to pay around $1,200 to take a first offender prostitution program, also known as john school.

— nate gartrell, The Mercury News, "Police sex exploitation scandal: Ex-Oakland cop sentenced, allowed to substitute “court watch” for jail time," 7 Mar. 2017
The makers say the johns are made of a super-strong fibrous concrete that can hold up even after a bomb explodes inside.

— adam rawnsley, WIRED, "Oh, Crap! Moscow Mulls Terrorist-Proof Toilets," 9 June 2011
The health-management toilet, a smart john built by the Japanese company Toto, contains a diagnostic system that uses biosensor input to examine your, uh, output.

— wired staff, WIRED, "Tomorrow Today," 1 May 1998

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'John.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.