People Are Just Now Discovering the Real Meaning Behind the “WC” Sign

In the bustling streets of Victorian England, public facilities were a hot topic of debate. Sanitation had become a critical issue as cities grew, and with the advent of indoor plumbing, a new term emerged: the “water closet”—or WC for short.

The term “water closet” originally referred to a small, enclosed space that housed a flushing toilet, separate from the bathing or grooming areas. Back then, the concept of personal hygiene was fragmented. People didn’t have a unified “bathroom”; instead, tasks like bathing, washing hands, or even brushing hair were done in different parts of the home. The “water closet” became a functional space solely for one specific purpose: to use the toilet.