Highlights
1. Restroom is used in the United Kingdom to refer to places where you can sit and take rest, while washroom is used to refer to a toilet, especially in public places, mainly in the United States of America.
2. In many countries, the word washroom is not used in the sense of a toilet, but sometimes refers to a handwash area.
3. Restroom can also refer to a place to take rest or a bathroom in public places like railway stations.
Restroom vs Washroom
Restroom and washroom are two words that are often used interchangeably, but they have different meanings. In the United Kingdom, “restroom” refers to a place where you can sit and take a rest. On the other hand, “washroom” is an old-fashioned word primarily used in the United States to refer to a toilet, especially in public places.
For example, if we look at the sentences:
1. The children went to the washroom.
2. The boy pointed out his finger at the washroom.
In both sentences, “washroom” is used to mean a toilet. So, the meaning of the first sentence would be “the children went to the toilet,” and the meaning of the second sentence would be “the boy pointed out his finger at the toilet.”
It is worth noting that “washroom” is not commonly used in many countries to mean a toilet. Sometimes, it is used to mean a place for handwashing.
On the other hand, if we look at the sentences:
1. The old man entered the restroom.
2. The family found a restroom in the premises of the railway station.
In both sentences, “restroom” is used to mean a place to take rest or a bathroom. So, the meaning of the first sentence would be “the old man entered the bathroom or men’s room,” and the meaning of the second sentence would be “the family found a bathroom or family room in the premises of the railway station.” It is interesting to note that “restroom” sometimes refers to a bathroom in public places like a railway station.
