Have you ever noticed the letters WC posted outside a public bathroom and wondered what it means? If so, you’re not alone as people around the world are trying to unravel the mystery of the WC, a space that identifies a room containing a toilet and a sink.

And while we’ll offer you an explanation of the WC, we can’t promise the term will make anymore sense than restroom, bathroom or loo… In 2020, a couple named Shelby and Dylan shared a TikTok video that revealed a major difference in how some Americans and Canadians do their business.“What in the world is a washroom?” asks Dylan as he walks by sign that says “washroom.”

Water closet
According to Mirriam Webster’s Dictionary, “water closet” is a noun that describes “a compartment or room with a toilet” or “a toilet bowl and its accessories.”

Back in the day, when someone would use the bathroom, it was to take a bath. And when a person used a restroom, it was apparently to rest or get ready for the day by using the sink and mirror.

Lastly, if you needed to go potty, you would use the toilet in the water closet. Depending on where you live in the world, the room that holds the porcelain throne goes by various names including the loo, restroom, bathroom, washroom, lavatory or WC.