lavatory
noun
lav·a·to·ry
ˈla-və-ˌtȯr-ē 
British -və-t(ə-)rē
plural lavatories
1
: a vessel (such as a basin) for washing
especially
: a fixed bowl or basin with running water and drainpipe for washing
2
: a room with conveniences for washing and usually with one or more toilets
the airplane's lavatory
3
lavatory
adjective
Synonyms
Examples of lavatory in a Sentence
a wide choice of lavatories on sale at plumbing supply stores
the school's filthy, broken-down lavatories were a disgrace
Recent Examples on the Web
United has been working to improve accessibility on its aircraft, including adding Braille to about a dozen of its planes on both individual rows and seat numbers as well as inside and outside lavatories.
—
Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 29 Sep. 2023
The amenity kit and lavatories have some thoughtful products like a wrinkle-reducing spray for clothes (important after a long flight).
—Ramsey Qubein, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 July 2023
Shortly after that incident, authorities said a search of Thompson’s iCloud account revealed four more instances between January and August 2023 of him recording minors using lavatories on planes.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2024
Now, new federal rules aim to improve in-flight restroom access for travelers with disabilities: All new single-aisle planes with at least 125 seats will need to have accessible lavatories, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced last week.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Aug. 2023
The male passenger, who was traveling from Salt Lake City to New Orleans, ended up stuck in a lavatory for 35 minutes after the door got jammed mid-flight.
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024
Disability advocates say some passengers put their health at risk by dehydrating themselves before a flight, reducing the changes of needing to move to the lavatory.
—Gregory Wallace, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024
Unlike most helicopters, this RAM aircraft includes a lavatory and is still one of the most economical choices its array of capabilities at $14 million.
—Dan Sloat, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2024
Several passengers on board Flight 1533 said the security concern was a bomb threat written in one of the plane's lavatories, but authorities did not immediately confirm the nature of the threat.
—Lawrence Yee, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2024
Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 29 Sep. 2023
The amenity kit and lavatories have some thoughtful products like a wrinkle-reducing spray for clothes (important after a long flight).
—Ramsey Qubein, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 July 2023
Shortly after that incident, authorities said a search of Thompson’s iCloud account revealed four more instances between January and August 2023 of him recording minors using lavatories on planes.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2024
Now, new federal rules aim to improve in-flight restroom access for travelers with disabilities: All new single-aisle planes with at least 125 seats will need to have accessible lavatories, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced last week.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Aug. 2023
The male passenger, who was traveling from Salt Lake City to New Orleans, ended up stuck in a lavatory for 35 minutes after the door got jammed mid-flight.
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024
Disability advocates say some passengers put their health at risk by dehydrating themselves before a flight, reducing the changes of needing to move to the lavatory.
—Gregory Wallace, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024
Unlike most helicopters, this RAM aircraft includes a lavatory and is still one of the most economical choices its array of capabilities at $14 million.
—Dan Sloat, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2024
Several passengers on board Flight 1533 said the security concern was a bomb threat written in one of the plane's lavatories, but authorities did not immediately confirm the nature of the threat.
—Lawrence Yee, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lavatory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Lavatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lavatory. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lavatory
noun
lav·a·to·ry
ˈlav-ə-ˌtōr-ē
-ˌtȯr-
plural lavatories
1
: a basin for washing
especially
: a small sink with running water and drainpipe
2
: a room with lavatories and usually with toilets
3
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