commode

noun

com·​mode kə-ˈmōd How to pronounce commode (audio)
1
a
: a low chest of drawers
b
: a boxlike structure holding a chamber pot under an open seat
also : chamber pot
d
: a movable washstand with a cupboard underneath
2
: a woman's ornate cap popular in the late 17th and early 18th centuries

Illustration of commode

Illustration of commode
  • commode 2

Examples of commode in a Sentence

There are towels in the cabinet above the commode.
Recent Examples on the Web Or, for a more budget-friendly option, install floating shelves above your commode and flank it with vertical storage cubes. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 The commode erupted, leaving the plaintiff and the loo covered in its contents, the lawsuit stated. Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2024 The genesis of Perfect Days, in fact, comes from the director being invited to Tokyo to do a series of shorts about the city’s commodes, many of which had been redesigned as something akin to modern-art installments and a source of civic pride. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2024 Keep reading to discover the best bathroom cleaning sprays and solutions for every part of your commode. Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 3 Feb. 2024 The bombe chest, or as the French call it, the commode, is standard. Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024 Some think the commode might now look … a bit different. María Luisa Paúl, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2023 Thus far, the nonprofit has given away 2,234 medical devices, such as wheelchairs, scooters, shower stools, bedside commodes, canes, crutches, walkers and more to other residents. Lauren J. Mapp, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Oct. 2023 The boxes adjacent to the commode would have higher levels of bacteria. Geraldine Deruiter, Washington Post, 12 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'commode.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, from commode, adjective, suitable, convenient, from Latin commodus, from com- + modus measure — more at mete

First Known Use

circa 1688, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of commode was circa 1688

Dictionary Entries Near commode

Cite this Entry

“Commode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commode. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

commode

noun
com·​mode kə-ˈmōd How to pronounce commode (audio)
1
a
: a low chest of drawers
b
: a movable washstand with a cupboard underneath
2

More from Merriam-Webster on commode

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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