Etymology: Old English stapol strong masculine (a weak form stapole is doubtful) corresponds to Old Frisian stapul, stapel stem or visible part of a tooth, also block for executions (West Frisian steapel, North Frisian stabel heap), Old Saxon stapal, stapel, candle, small tub (Middle Low German stapel pillar, post, candle, block for executions, platform, stocks for shipbuilding, heap; hence Middle High German and modern German stapel stake, beam, stocks for shipbuilding, and probably Swedish stapel, Danish stabel in the same senses), Middle Dutch stapel foundation, support, stem of a plant, heap (modern Dutch stapel leg of a chair, stocks, heap), Old High German staffal (gl. ‘basis’; the feminine staffala, modern German staffel step, rung of a ladder, is probably a separate formation), Old Norse stǫpull steeple, tower, once pillar < Germanic *stapulo-z.The various applications of the word in the Germanic languages seem traceable to a general sense of ‘something supporting’; the root *stap- is probably identical with that of step n.¹, step v. In addition to the sense 1 below, Old English seems to have had those of foundation (gl. batis , perhaps error for basis ) and steps or raised platform in front of an outer door (see Beowulf 926 and the gloss ‘stapel, patronus ’, probably for petronus : compare French perron ), but these did not survive into Middle English Sense 2 is not found in continental Germanic, and its evolution is not easy to explain; the identity of the word is not certain.

Etymology: < Old French estaple feminine emporium, mart (modern French étape halting-place) < medieval Latin stapula , also staplus , < Middle Low German stapol , stapel : see staple n.¹The (Middle) Low German, (Middle) Dutch stapel , and hence the German and Swedish stapel , Danish stabel , have the sense ‘emporium, mart’, in addition to the senses mentioned under staple n.¹ It is, however, uncertain whether this sense was developed in Middle Low German, or whether it originated in Old French, and was thence adopted into Middle Low German The precise relation of this sense to the other senses of the Germanic word is also uncertain. It has been usually held to have been developed from the sense ‘heap, pile’. This is not impossible; but, on the other hand, in the Frankish laws regis stapulus meant the place where the king or his representative administered judgement; the original notion may have been that of ‘raised platform’. The transition would be easy from the Frankish sense of regis stapulus to that of the ‘king's staple’ for the collection of duties on merchandise.

Etymology: Of uncertain origin; perhaps a back-formation < staple v.² or stapler n.¹, the sorting of wool according to quality being part of the business of the stapler.

Etymology: Of obscure origin.

Etymology: < the attributive use of staple n.², as in staple-ware.

Etymology: < staple n.¹

Etymology: < staple n.²