A coffee break is a daily social gathering for a snack and short downtime practiced by employees in business and industry. The term is American but has become universal in the modern world and is employed whether or not participants are actually drinking coffee. It corresponds with the Commonwealth terms elevenses and morning tea, although the term coffee break is increasingly used even in those countries. An afternoon coffee break is sometimes had as well. A snack food is seen in Western culture as a type of food that is not meant to be eaten as part of one of the main meals of the day (breakfast, lunch, supper). ... Coffee in beverage form. ... // Definition and linguistics The original phrase common wealth or the common weal is a calque translation of the Latin term res publica (public thing), from which the word republic comes, which was itself used as a synonym for the Greek politeia as well as for the republican (i. ... In the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, elevenses is a snack that is similar to afternoon tea, but eaten in the morning. ...

Coffee breaks usually last 10 - 20 minutes and frequently occur at the end of the first third of the work shift. In some companies and some civil service, the coffee break may be observed formally at a set hour; in some places a "cart" with hot and cold beverages and cakes, breads and pastries arrives at the same time morning and afternoon, or an employer may contract with an outside caterer for daily service. A civil servant or public servant is a civilian career public sector employee working for a government department or agency. ... A birthday cake decorated with fruit, shaved chocolate, and candles. ... European sweetbread (strucla) Four loaves French bread has a somewhat rigid crust Breads and Bread Rolls at a bakery Continental Italian Bread Tin Vienna Bread Bread in a traditional oven, in Portugal, with hot coal in front For other uses, see Bread (disambiguation). ... Pastry the name given to various kinds of dough made from ingredients such as flour, butter and eggs, that are rolled out thinly and used as the base for baked goods. ... Catering is the business of providing food service at a remote site. ...

The break is often held away from the actual work area in a designated cafeteria or outdoor area. As well as a chance for sustenance, it is a time for gossip and small talk, or a time to smoke a cigarette. It is a chance to wind down slightly and "regroup" for the remaining day's work. One of a number of cafeterias at Electronic City campus, Infosys Technologies Ltd. ... A cigarette will burn to ash on one end. ...

More generally, coffee break is used to denote any break from work in any arena; housewives are often portrayed in popular culture as taking a coffee break in their kitchens. A kitchen is a room used for food preparation. ...