Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "bathhouse" gini ne ko kayan aiki da aka kera don wanka na jama'a ko na jama'a. Yawanci ana sanye shi da kayan aiki kamar shawa, wanka, dakunan tururi, saunas, da wasu lokutan wuraren waha, kuma ana iya amfani da shi don tsaftar mutum, shakatawa, ko zamantakewa. An yi amfani da gidajen wanka tsawon ƙarni a cikin al'adu daban-daban a duniya kuma suna iya yin ayyuka daban-daban, kamar wanka na jama'a, al'adun addini ko al'ada, ko ayyukan lafiya da walwala. A wasu lokuta, kalmar "gidan wanka" na iya nufin wurin da ake yin jima'i, musamman a cikin al'ummomin LGBTQ.