Mrs. Jones

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

An outhouse; a toilet.

Register: dated, slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

[…] to the "Mrs. Jones," as they called it. Obviously they had gone together for courage, and no one thought any more about it until suddenly they both started screaming. The toilet was not far from the house […]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

the house of office, a water-closet.

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “Mrs. Jones” mean?

An outhouse; a toilet.

Is “Mrs. Jones” formal or informal?

Mrs. Jones is generally dated, slang.