Kaffeeklatsch
Noun
- An informal social gathering at which coffee is served.
- Talking or gossip at an informal gathering where coffee is served.
Example Sentences
“The highlight of the neighborhood get-togethers was the kaffeeklatsch that always followed.”
“My grandmother loved nothing more than a good kaffeeklatsch with her friends on Saturday mornings.”
“We call it a ‘book club,’ but in truth, it’s mostly a kaffeeklatsch.”
Word Origin
ˈkafāˌklaCH
Why this word?
Here we have more proof that German might just be the world’s most flexible and useful language. This word, which literally means “coffee gossip,” has been traced back to roughly 1900, when German housewives would gather at one another’s houses to chat and imbibe their daily caffeine. This became a popular pastime and quickly spread to other countries. On May 11, 1991, nearly 100 years after the genesis of this ritual, “Saturday Night Live” premiered its “Coffee Talk” sketch starring Mike Myers as a woman with big hair and a bigger New York accent. In one particularly memorable “Coffee Talk,” Myers was joined by Madonna and Roseanne Barr in a classic kaffeeklatsch that revolved around their love of Barbra Streisand. Famously, the skit ended with a surprise appearance from Streisand herself.