water cooler

For the gossip sense, compare scuttlebutt, of similar origin.

water cooler (plural water coolers)

1. A dispenser of cooled drinking water.
2. (figuratively) A location in the workplace where employees gather to chat or gossip.

• water-cooler, watercooler

• water dispenser

• water cooler effect

Attributive use of the noun.

water cooler (comparative more water cooler, superlative most water cooler)

1. Of the nature of things discussed around a water cooler.

   In those days The Late Show was Monday water cooler topic du jour.

   water-cooler gossip, water-cooler talk, water-cooler conversation, water-cooler discussion

• water-cooler, watercooler

• barroom
• cracker-barrel

• “water cooler gossip” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.

A category of cooling device.

water cooler (plural water coolers)

1. A type of cooling device that uses water as the heat transfer medium.