bathtub

UK /ˈbɑːθ.tʌb/ US /ˈbæθ.tʌb/ Syllables: bath-tub

Pronunciation

Noun A1 Beginner Neutral

A large container that holds water, used for washing the whole body.

A bathtub is a large container that holds water and is used for washing the whole body. It is usually fixed in the bathroom and has taps for hot and cold water and a plug to let the water out. People lie in the bathtub to relax or wash and sometimes add bubbles or oil. A bathtub can be made of plastic, metal or stone, and some stand on feet. In British English people usually say bath for the tub.

"She filled the bathtub with warm water and bubbles."

Example sentences

"The baby splashed in the bathtub."

Level A1
"She filled the bathtub with warm water."

Level A1
"A rubber duck floated in the bathtub."

Level A2
"The bathtub is next to the window."

Level A2

Synonyms and antonyms

Synonyms

tub

Look-alikes and common mistakes

shower : A shower sprays water from above. A bathtub holds water for you to sit in.
bath : Bath is the British word for the tub and for the act of washing. Bathtub is the American word.

Word family and forms

Forms: bathtubs

bath tub bathroom bathtub ring

Word partners

Words and phrases that often go with "bathtub".

fill the bathtub
a deep bathtub
relax in the bathtub
a clawfoot bathtub
a bathtub full of water
a plastic bathtub

Origin

Bathtub is made from bath plus tub, and it is first recorded in the 1820s and 1830s. It joined the older words bath, meaning a washing, and tub, a wide container.

Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Dictionary.com.

How to remember it

Bathtub is bath plus tub. A tub is a wide container, and the bathtub holds a bath.

Test yourself

Which word fits the gap? "The baby splashed in the _____."

Answer: bathtub

In your own words, what does "bathtub" mean?