chamber pot
A pot kept indoors for nighttime bathroom use.
Also called slop jar, thunder mug, thunder pot.
Updated September 21, 2026
chamber pot pronunciation
/CHAYM-ber pot/
Meaning
Before indoor plumbing, families kept a lidded pot under the bed or in the corner so nobody had to trek to the outhouse in the dark or the cold. Next morning somebody emptied it. Country nicknames ran wild: slop jar, thunder mug, thunder pot.
How folks use it
- “It's pouring. Use the chamber pot under the bed instead of walking out back.”
- “Mama made us empty the chamber pot before breakfast every morning.”
Origin and etymology
From chambre (room) plus pot: literally a pot kept in the bedroom. The object goes back centuries in Europe and America. In rural Southern and Appalachian houses it stayed common until bathrooms arrived, often into the mid-1900s on farms and hollers.
Frequently asked questions
Is a chamber pot the same as an outhouse?
No. The outhouse is outside. The chamber pot stayed inside for night and bad weather.