pissoir

noun

pis·soir pi-ˈswär

: a public urinal usually located on the street in some European countries

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Every prime minister comes into office promising to reform the Lords only to end up treating it as a patronage pissoir. —

The Economist, 8 Aug. 2020

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

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, from pisser to urinate, from Old French pisser, pissier

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of pissoir was in 1919

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pissoir.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pissoir. Accessed 7 Feb. 2023.

Copy Citation

Word of the Day

acquiesce

Listen to the pronunciation of acquiesce

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

The Great British Vocabulary Quiz

Named after Sir Robert Peel, what are British police called?

Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get right?

TAKE THE QUIZ

Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY