garderobe
/ˈɡɑɹdɹoʊb/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.36 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A lavatory, especially in a castle and built into the outer wall, with vent directly over the moat or midden.
Example Sentences
- "He splashed some tepid water on his face from the basin beside his bed and took his time squatting in the garderobe, the night air cold on his bare skin."
- "In the early medieval period (1066-1300), the solution in huge stone castles was garderobes: small rooms that jutted out over the walls with a hole covered by a seat. Castle builders tried to site garderobes over a stream or a moat, but this was not always possible."
- "Even with the seat, most garderobes in castles did not encourage long stays.[…]Despite the unappealing and unsanitary nature of garderobe shafts, besieging forces on more than one occasion successfully entered castles by having men climb up the shafts."
Etymology
From Middle English garderobe, from Middle French garderobe (from garder (“to keep safe”) + robe (“dress”)). Doublet of wardrobe.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: garderobe
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈɡɑɹdɹoʊb/
- British English: /ˈɡɑːdɹəʊb/