i just saw someone's post about toilet paper and it reminded me of my question which is why do the french call perfume toilet water? that's disgusting to me, but i'm not french.

But a menaingful answer can still be given. It's used when you "faites la toilette" which means to bathe, or get cleaned up, as in first thing in the morning.<BR>

thanks easy to spot. that does clear it up a bit. so here's another question a bit more on the serious side. Where did the word toilette or toilet originate?

From "toi" meaning "you"<BR><BR>and "let" meaning "let"<BR><BR>as in "you need to be let out, to do your business" which every good frenchman says to his dog every morning.<BR>

Estel,<BR>In London we call it leu (pronounced loo) water, or simply wcwater.

They call it toilet water because back in the early 1700's, a man named Frderick Toillette needed a quick remedy for an oppressive personal odor problem. Since he was not able to bathe at that particular time--the family only had one washe basin and it was always being used due to the fact that the Toillettes had 17 children, five of them being under the age of seven--he dipped his head in the outhouse hole so he could wash himself off. When he arrived at school that day, the pupils remarked upon how fresh he looked and smelled. Thusly, the term toilet water was borne. He spent his later years doctoring the smell of the early concoction of urine and doo doo by adding fresh herbs and flowers. And so a cultural and global phenomena was the result of Mr. Toilettes work in the john. The End.

Sam,<BR>Thank you so much for the info. What started out as kind of a joke has yielded some real historical data. I can personally attest to the fact that silliness does not always equal stupidness. Thanks for all the input!

Glad I could be of service, Estel. I really enjoy countering the myths surrounding Mr. Toillette and his invention. There are so many crazy people out there who have no clue about history. I am glad to be the voice of reason during these complicated times.

estel,<BR>I hate to break it to you, but apparently silliness does equal stupidity in your case. If you think there was a guy named Toilette w/ 17 kids and an odor problem, there's some oceanfront property in Iowa that I'd like to sell you. Wake up and smell your brain frying.

Well mr. smarty pants slick why don't you just wake up and smell the bisquits. I bet you like slimy eaggggs for breakfast.

"toilette" comes from the word toile which means fabric. Originally, "toilette" was something made of "toile" and more specifically a garment. In say, XVII° century texts, the word "toilette" always refers to clothes (women's clothes, usually).<BR><BR> Hence "faire sa toilette" meant to dress up and its meaning was extended to include washing, putting perfume, jewels,etc.... Then the "cabinet de toilette" appears as the room where someone would dress up, wash up, etc... at the beginning of the day.<BR><BR>At some point, the "cloth" meaning dissapeared, and the "cabinet de toilette" meant only the place where one's would wash up. I assume that when plumbery began to appear, the "cabinet de toilette" became an euphemism for what we know call "the toilettes" in the same way in english "bathroom" is an euphemism for the same.<BR><BR>Though the original meaning "garment" has totally disapeared in modern french, the meaning "washing up" didn't. So, one would still "faire sa toilette" at the morning and would still use "eau de toilette" (toilet water). But at the same time, one could feel an urge to go to the "toilettes" or the "cabinets" (also from the original "cabinet de toilette").<BR><BR>I assume that the word passed to english at a time when in french it already means "bathroom".

"toilette" comes from the word toile which means fabric. Originally, "toilette" was something made of "toile" and more specifically a garment. In say, XVII° century texts, the word "toilette" always refers to clothes (women's clothes, usually).<BR><BR> Hence "faire sa toilette" meant to dress up and its meaning was extended to include washing, putting perfume, jewels,etc.... Then the "cabinet de toilette" appears as the room where someone would dress up, wash up, etc... at the beginning of the day.<BR><BR>At some point, the "cloth" meaning dissapeared, and the "cabinet de toilette" meant only the place where one's would wash up. I assume that when plumbery began to appear, the "cabinet de toilette" became an euphemism for what we know call "the toilettes" in the same way in english "bathroom" is an euphemism for the same.<BR><BR>Though the original meaning "garment" has totally disapeared in modern french, the meaning "washing up" didn't. So, one would still "faire sa toilette" at the morning and would still use "eau de toilette" (toilet water). But at the same time, one could feel an urge to go to the "toilettes" or the "cabinets" (also from the original "cabinet de toilette").<BR><BR>I assume that the word passed to english at a time when in french it already meant "bathroom".

and don't forget to put that seat down, after you raise it UP!<BR>

in less than 24 hours.<BR><BR>Perhaps rightly so.<BR>