Water cooler - Definition

A water cooler is a dispenser of chilled water intended for casual human consumption.

One popular design involves large bottles placed spout down into a dispensing machine with at least one faucet for the release of water into a container, like a paper cup (usually a Dixie Cup) typically provided at the machine. The machine has a refrigeration function with cooling coils used to chill the water.

This machine is typically used in office settings and it is a point for staff converge on their breaks. As a result, it is a regular meeting point for short conversations during the workday which is often colloquially described as "around the water cooler".

A water cooler is a kind of device used to remove heat from electronic devices, such as computer processors, that makes uses of water insted of air (see air cooler and CPU cooling).