The story
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Today it means: A footstool with a circular indent on its side, so that it can be placed in front of the toilet, in order for the person using the toilet to be able to rest their feet on it and sit in a squat position, ostensibly making defecation easier. Full definition →
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.