# john

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈd͡ʒɑn/ · frequency rank #414

## Definitions
1. A prostitute's client.
2. A device or place to urinate and defecate: now usually a toilet or lavatory, but also (dated) a chamber pot or outhouse.
3. A Western man traveling in East Asia.
4. A male mule.

## Etymology
From the male given name John (q.v.), whose ubiquity led to extensive use of the name in generic contexts. Its use for toilets derives from John and Cousin John, which both probably relate to jacques and jakes, used in equivalent senses by the British and Irish.

## Easily confused with
- **joy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-joy)
- **Jon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-jon)
- **jun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-jun)
- **Joo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-joo)
- **jot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-jot)
- **jor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-jor)
- **join** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-join)
- **joke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-joke)
- **Josh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-josh)
- **Jose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-jose)
- **Juan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-juan)
- **jong** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-jong)
- **joys** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-joys)
- **jojo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-jojo)
- **joss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-joss)
- **jolt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-jolt)
- **Joni** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-joni)
- **jour** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-jour)
- **JSON** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-json)
- **Jove** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/john-vs-jove)

## Common misspellings (6)
`jhon`, `jjohn`, `johhn`, `johnn`, `jonh`, `ojhn`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/john