churchkey
Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 1:31 pm
n.
A bottle open, especial to open bottle capped with "crown cork" caps.
Websters doesn't have any reference to this name before the 1950's. Which seem strange since the bottle cap was invented in the 1890s. The wide spread use of this term in English is attributed the the jocularity factor, because open beer bottles is not the most pious activity. Also, the looped bottle opener does resemble a church key in shape. Originally probably only referred to the looped bottle cap opener, but now ubiquitous with all bottle openers. I have even heard it used to refer to can openers.
I remember seeing old old churchkeys in drawers and rummage sales in the 70s. And some had very old branding on them, so I'm not convinced in Websters timeline, but alas they are refering to the name churchkey, not the gizmo.
A bottle open, especial to open bottle capped with "crown cork" caps.
Websters doesn't have any reference to this name before the 1950's. Which seem strange since the bottle cap was invented in the 1890s. The wide spread use of this term in English is attributed the the jocularity factor, because open beer bottles is not the most pious activity. Also, the looped bottle opener does resemble a church key in shape. Originally probably only referred to the looped bottle cap opener, but now ubiquitous with all bottle openers. I have even heard it used to refer to can openers.
I remember seeing old old churchkeys in drawers and rummage sales in the 70s. And some had very old branding on them, so I'm not convinced in Websters timeline, but alas they are refering to the name churchkey, not the gizmo.