As I go about my days, weeks, and months, I see signs for restrooms from time to time in public buildings, stores, restaurants, and other places.  Occasionally, when other thoughts don’t occupy my gray matter, I’ll wonder why “restroom” no one is resting there. 

No one usually bathes there as well, so the title “bathroom” is out too.  They used to be called, and in some cases still are, laboratories; there may be a chemical reaction going on, but let’s not talk about that.  Not to mention, in some locations, referring to it as a laboratory might cause some to think it’s a great place to cook up some meth; none of us need to be around that as we try to relieve ourselves.  Relieving station?  I know I’ve seen public toilets, which makes the most sense.  

Restroom seems like a misuse of the word; I think George Carlin, the great comedian, would agree. Yes, I’ve seen people pass out from God knows what or take a nap in a public restroom, but fortunately, those people are a very small number.  Most of us are not resting there, but in a time long gone, these were sitting rooms.  In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, department stores, theaters, and hotels had actual sitting rooms with chairs, sofas, and powder stations.  Over time, they added toilets and washing facilities.  As a polite euphemism, people used the term “restroom” because it wasn’t as offensive, awkward, or embarrassing as other terms. 

Now both you and I know how we got to this place where the term restroom is used for the place away from our homes to relieve ourselves.  Will this cause me to not question the use of the term restroom from time to time, probably not.