Commode

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Commode is any of several pieces of furniture.

The English word commode comes from French roots meaning "convenient" or "suitable".

Originally, in furniture it meant a cabinet, with one or more doors, that served as a washstand with a washbasin and water pitcher, and that also offered an enclosed area below for storing a chamberpot. Convenience cabinets called commodes often furnished middle-class bedrooms before the days of indoor plumbing.

In modern English use, the term has become a euphemism meaning toilet, usually a lavatory appliance made of porcelain, or a metal chair with a built-in chamber pot often used in nursing homes.

In contemporary French, however, la commode, like the German die Kommode, means a low chest of drawers on stubby legs. This current meaning of the French word applies especially to chests in the French style.

See also: Nightstand