water cooler

noun

1. a container for holding drinking water that is cooled and drawn off by a faucet or spigot.

2. a drinking fountain in which water is cooled by mechanical refrigeration.

water cooler

noun

1. a device for cooling and dispensing drinking water

1. informal

   1. indicating the kind of informal conversation among office staff that takes place at such a dispenser

      water-cooler conversations

   2. indicating an event, television programme, etc, sufficiently controversial or otherwise noteworthy to provide subject matter for such conversations

      water-cooler television

      a water-cooler moment

Word History and Origins

Origin of water cooler¹

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Example Sentences

Even when we grouse about our jobs, by the water cooler and over Slack, the complaint is rarely about working hard.

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Like many writers working alone, she had used Twitter as a virtual water cooler.

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“You can get talented people, but the water cooler effect is gone.”

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It was the epitome of water cooler television.

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Martin books call the closing event in Sunday’s episode of “House of the Dragon” — is likely to be a major Westeros water cooler moment.

Read more on New York Times

Related Words

• water fountain