• Outhouse

    Origin

    out + house

    Full definition of outhouse

    Noun

    outhouse

    (plural outhouses)
    1. (dated) an outbuilding, a small structure located away, or not directly accessed from, a main building.
      • Orwell Animal Farm|6... plenty of sand and cement had been found in one of the outhouses
    2. (North America) an outbuilding containing a toilet, often just a seat over a cesspool

    Usage notes

    The term outhouse usually refers to a permanent facility. Where an outdoor toilet is installed on a temporary basis, variants of portable toilet such as portapotty are generally used. The dated slang john and johnny house are sometimes also used to identify such toilet.

    Synonyms

    Related terms

    © Wiktionary