Nomenclature and Usage Variations
In the British Isles and most of the Commonwealth, the word "tap" is used for any everyday type of valve, particularly the fittings that control water supply to bathtubs and sinks. In the U.S., the word is more often used for beer taps, cut-in connections, or wiretapping. "Spigot" or "faucet" are more often used to refer to water valves, although this sense of "tap" is not uncommon, and the term "tap water" is the standard name for water from the faucet. Between "spigot" and "faucet", the connotative distinction is outdoor-versus-indoor, and utilitarian-versus-decorative; thus a spigot is an outdoor tap such as the bibcock (sillcock, hose bibb) for a garden hose, whereas a faucet is an indoor tap such as on the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, or bathtub, which usually include decorative features such as styling cues and polished chrome plating.
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