A toilet is a plumbing fixture used for disposing of human waste. Most modern toilets are made of porcelain and use water to flush waste through pipes into a sewer system or septic tank. When you press the flush handle, water rushes from the tank into the bowl, carrying everything away.

The word toilet can also refer to the entire bathroom or restroom, especially in British English. Someone might say “Where's the toilet?” when they need to use the bathroom. In American English, people often say “bathroom” or “restroom” instead.

Toilets seem simple, but they represent a major achievement in public health. Before indoor plumbing became common in the late 1800s, people used outhouses or chamber pots, which could spread disease. The invention and widespread adoption of the flushing toilet, combined with modern sewage systems, helped prevent countless illnesses and saved millions of lives by keeping waste away from drinking water and living spaces.

Different cultures have developed different styles of toilets. Some countries use squat toilets built into the floor, while others use the sitting toilets common in America and Europe. Portable toilets, often seen at outdoor events and construction sites, store waste in tanks that get emptied regularly.