latrine

noun

la·​trine lə-ˈtrēn 

1

: a receptacle (such as a pit in the earth) for use as a toilet

2

: toilet sense 1

Synonyms

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

Examples of latrine in a Sentence

where's the nearest latrine, soldier?

Recent Examples on the Web

The outdoor latrine there is dirty and smelly, Ms. Biziel explains, which is one reason that some girls drop out of school when their periods start. —Kang-Chun Cheng, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Dec. 2024

Josephina’s welcome to Fort Bliss is characteristically cold and all the more abrasive by the lack of privacy in the open bunk, co-ed showers, and open latrine. —Andy Andersen, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024

In 2022 and then in 2023, separate hikers fell into trailhead toilets and became trapped in the last place anyone would ever want to explore: an outdoor latrine’s holding chamber. —Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 26 Oct. 2024

These include safe drinking water from mobile water treatment plants, jerry cans, hygiene kits, more than 3.7 million water purification tablets, floating latrines and temporary tube wells. —Sarah Ferguson, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, from Latin latrina, contraction of lavatrina, from lavare to wash — more at lye

First Known Use

1642, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

latrine

noun

la·​trine lə-ˈtrēn 

: bathroom, toilet