A third added, “Wait ’til he finds out about water closets.”
“Water closet,” as defined by Merriam-Webster, means either a small room or compartment with a toilet, or the toilet itself. Historically, people used “bathrooms” for bathing, “restrooms” to rest or freshen up, and “water closets” to use the toilet. Today, names vary globally—“loo,” “restroom,” “bathroom,” “washroom,” “lavatory,” and “WC” all mean the same basic facility.
Modern signs often use “WC,” especially in international places like airports or hotels. Before the 19th century in America, only the wealthy had indoor toilets; most used outhouses. As plumbing improved, water closets became common, and by the early 20th century, bathrooms usually combined toilets and bathing facilities. This combo reduced privacy, leading to the idea of a separate water closet within a larger bathroom for the toilet.
Online discussions show global differences in these terms. Americans often wonder why a public “WC” is called a bathroom when there’s no bath. Others ask why it’s called a “water closet” if it isn’t an actual closet. In Russian, it’s “a room without windows,” and in Esperanto, it’s “necesejo” (meaning “necessary place”). Canadians often say “washroom,” highlighting the room’s main function.