When you walk into a public restroom, you might see the letters "WC" written on the wall outside - but probably not give it a second thought. However, for some people, these two letters cause confusion as they wonder what exactly WC stands for and why it is written on the toilet door.

The abbreviation stands for "water closet," a 20th-century name for toilets because most toilets were installed in spare closets or cabinets, according to Plumbworld. It reads: “Over time, WC has come to be used instead of bathroom to describe a room that has a toilet but no bath. In short, a WC suite is just another way of saying a complete toilet with a cistern, bowl and flushing mechanism. The term ‘suite’ can be a little confusing as a suite usually consists of more than one item, such as a sofa and armchair or a bath, toilet and basin, but remember that a WC suite refers to a complete toilet system. In some parts of the world, including the UK, people still use the euphemism WC or Water Closet to refer to the toilet.