World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English DictionariesChurch-key
/ˈtʃɜːrtʃ.kiː/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
A device used for opening crown caps on glass bottles.
"He used a church-key to pop the caps off two cold bottles of soda." - 2
A handheld metal opener featuring a pointed end designed to puncture holes in the top of steel beverage cans.
"Older canned juices often required a church-key to create pour and vent holes."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Originally coined in the United States around the mid-20th century, combining the words church and key. The term is believed to derive humorously from the resemblance of early bottle openers to the large, ornate keys historically used to open heavy church doors. Over time, it transitioned from describing a simple metal opener for crown-capped bottles to also encompassing flat-ended openers used for pierced-top beverage cans.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Church-key"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Church-key" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
décapsuleur
Transliteration: de-kap-syl-œʁ
"Il a cherché un décapsuleur pour ouvrir sa bière."
Kapselheber
Transliteration: /ˈkapsəlˌheːbɐ/
"Er benutzte einen Kapselheber, um die Flasche zu öffnen."
apribottiglie
Transliteration: /a.pri.botˈtiʎ.ʎe/
"Ho bisogno di un apribottiglie per questa bibita."
abridor
Transliteration: /a.βɾiˈðoɾ/
"Busca el abridor en el cajón de la cocina."
abridor de garrafas
Transliteration: /a.bɾiˈdoɾ dʒi ɡaˈɾa.fɐs/
"Ele pegou o abridor de garrafas para servir as bebidas."
बोतल opener
Transliteration: botal opener
Script: बोतल खोलने वाला यंत्र
"उसने बोतल खोलने के लिए चर्च-की का उपयोग किया।"
开瓶器
Transliteration: kāi píng qì
"他用开瓶器打开了汽水。"
병따개
Transliteration: byeong-ttag-ae
"시원한 음료수를 마시기 위해 병따개를 찾았다."
栓抜き
Transliteration: sennuki
"彼女は栓抜きを使ってビールの蓋を開けた。"
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