The paddle or stick used to agitate the contents of a churn when making butter; the mechanical tool inside a butter churn.
Compound of 'churn' and 'staff' (meaning stick or rod), dating to medieval times. 'Staff' comes from Old English 'stæf,' meaning a long stick or walking staff, and was naturally applied to any implement resembling a stick.
Archaeological digs have revealed churnstaffs with sophisticated paddle designs—some had holes to better break down fat globules, showing that even medieval dairy workers were optimizing their technology! The best churnstaffs were often made from wood types that wouldn't absorb flavors or break easily.
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