Meaning of toilet water

Question

According to dictionaries toilet water is weak perfume. Do native speakers use the term in the same way?  Or does it refer to water from the toilet bowl? Thanks.

Philip · Accepted Answer

If used, it is a weak perfume.  We don't use it much any more in the US.

Anonymous · Answer

tamguatlayAccording to dictionaries toilet water is weak perfume. Do native speakers use the term in the same way?

If used at all, it would be very rare.

tamguatlayOr does it refer to water from the toilet bowl?

On the rare occasions that it is mentioned, yes. You don't really need the word bowl, there. Toilets that use water, normally include a bowl as standard. You also don't really need the word the, unless you are referring to one, particular toilet.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

tamguatlayDo native speakers use the term in the same way?

It is Americanized or Anglicized from the French: eau de toilette.

It is a quality of perfume, typically given to young girls who want to be "grown up" and wear something like their mother's Chanel 5.

. A list of common terms http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfumeis as follows:

Perfume extract, or simply perfume (extrait): 15–40% (IFRA: typical 20%) aromatic compounds
Esprit de Parfum (ESdP): 15–30% aromatic compounds, a seldom used strength concentration in between EdP and perfume
Eau de Parfum (EdP), Parfum de Toilette (PdT): 10–20% (typical ~15%) aromatic compounds, sometimes listed as "eau de perfume" or "millésime." Parfum de Toilette is a less common term that is generally analogous to Eau de Parfum.
Eau de toilette (EdT): 5–15% (typical ~10%) aromatic compounds
Eau de Cologne (EdC): Chypre citrus type perfumes with 3–8% (typical ~5%) aromatic compounds. "Original Eau de Cologne" is a registered trademark.
Perfume mist: 3–8% aromatic compounds (typical non-alcohol solvent)
Splash and aftershave: 1–3% aromatic compounds.

The French toilette comes from toile, the lace tablecloth on the dressing table in the lady's chamber. The ritual of "the toilette" was part of daily court life. Boucher, 1742, "La Toilette"

Fivejedjon · Answer

It is rarely used of the scent these days.  I doubt if it is ever used of water from the toilet bowl.

Anonymous · Answer

In the US in the 1950's, "toilet water" meant a kind of cologne or perfume for women. This meaning gradually fell out of use (for rather obvious reasons) until it is no longer used today.

Today in the US, "toilet water" would be understood to mean the visible water in the toilet bowl. For example: "Our dog drinks the toilet water if we don't close the lid on the toilet."

It can also mean the water in the upper tank of the toilet, that is not visible unless you open the cover of the tank. For example: "In an emergency you can drink the toilet water from the upper tank. It's clean tap water, unlike the water in the toilet bowl."

AlpheccaStars · Answer

AnonymousToday in the US, "toilet water" would be understood to mean the visible water in the toilet bowl. For example: "Our dog drinks the toilet water if we don't close the lid on the toilet."

I certainly would not use it that way.
My cat drinks out of the toilet.

Meaning of toilet water

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