water cooler

English

Etymology

water +‎ cooler. In sense of gossip, compare scuttlebutt, of similar origin.

Noun

Wikipedia water cooler (plural water coolers)

1. A dispenser of cooled drinking water.
2. (figuratively) A place in the workplace where employees gossip.

Adjective

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." [1]

See also

• scuttle-butt