commode
UK[kəˈməʊd]US[kəˈmoʊd]
n
A piece of furniture that looks like a chair and has a container in the seat, used by people who are too ill to get out of bed.
n
A low cupboard or chest of drawers, often with a mirror.
n
A toilet, especially one in a small room (a bathroom).
Morpheme Breakdown
com
mode
com
together, thoroughly
mode
manner, measure
Etymology
The word 'commode' entered English from French in the 17th century, derived from the Latin adjective 'commodus', meaning 'suitable', 'convenient', or 'proper'. 'Commodus' itself is a compound of the prefix 'com-' (thoroughly) and 'modus' (measure, manner), suggesting something that is thoroughly measured or well-proportioned for its purpose. This original sense of convenience and suitability evolved to describe a convenient piece of furniture, first a fashionable chest of drawers and later a chair concealing a chamber pot. The semantic link from 'thoroughly measured/suitable' to 'convenient furniture' and eventually to a 'toilet' illustrates a pragmatic shift in what is considered a suitable convenience for daily life.
Analysis
Structure: com (together, thoroughly) + mode (manner, measure)
'com-' is a Latin prefix meaning 'with', 'together', or 'thoroughly'. '-mode' is from Latin 'modus', meaning 'measure', 'manner', or 'way'.
Examples
The nurse brought a commode to the patient's bedside.
An antique mahogany commode stood against the wall.
The bathroom had a sink, a shower, and a commode.