a short piece of wire bent so as to bind together papers, sections of a book, or the like, by driving the ends through the sheets and clinching them on the other side.
a similar, often U-shaped piece of wire or metal with pointed ends for driving into a surface to hold a hasp, hook, pin, bolt, wire, or the like.
verb (used with object),sta·pled,sta·pling.
to secure or fasten by a staple or staples: to staple three sheets together.
Origin of staple
1
before 900; Middle English stapel originally, support, post, Old English stapol; cognate with Middle Dutch stapel foundation, German Stapel pile, Old Norse stǫpull pillar
a principal raw material or commodity grown or manufactured in a locality.
a principal commodity in a mercantile field; goods in steady demand or of known or recognized quality.
a basic or necessary item of food: She bought flour, sugar, salt, and other staples.
a basic or principal item, thing, feature, element, or part: Cowboy dramas are a staple on television.
the fiber of wool, cotton, flax, rayon, etc., considered with reference to length and fineness.
Textiles. a standard length of textile fibers, representing the average of such fibers taken collectively, as short-staple or long-staple cotton.
History/Historical. a town or place appointed by royal authority as the seat of a body of merchants having the exclusive right of purchase of certain classes of goods for export.
adjective
chief or prominent among the products exported or produced by a country or district; chiefly or largely dealt in or consumed.
basic, chief, or principal: staple industries.
principally used: staple subjects of conversation.
verb (used with object),sta·pled,sta·pling.
to sort or classify according to the staple or fiber, as wool.
Origin of staple
2
1375–1425; late Middle English: place where merchants have trading rights <Middle Dutch stapel
Farmers losing crops in many areas of southern China because of the floods has created a “severe challenge for self-sufficiency of staple grains.”
Why Is China Cracking Down on Food Waste?|Daniel Malloy|September 3, 2020|Ozy
She’s got the obligatory sharp-cut, bad-gal bob and frosty demeanor we’ve come to expect from the villainous egomaniac’s character, or in this case, the staple scientist with a God complex.
Stream or Skip? A Synthetic Biologist’s Review of ‘Biohackers’ on Netflix|Elsa Sotiriadis|September 2, 2020|Singularity Hub
Mars, the company behind Halloween staples like M&M’s and Snickers, starts its planning for the big day two years in advance.
How scary will a COVID-19 Halloween be for candy companies?|Beth Kowitt|August 29, 2020|Fortune
With more plans for their upcoming summer collection, Gaydina believes this fabric is going to be one of the company’s staples.
How a Wasteland Shrub Is Becoming the Next Big Thing in Fashion|Daniel Malloy|August 28, 2020|Ozy
Located in the South End, Club Café has been a staple of Boston nightlife since 1982.
Boston: A Historic City and a Trailblazer for Equality|LGBTQ-Editor|August 2, 2020|No Straight News
Tor, on the other hand, has been an Internet staple for years.
The Attack on the Hidden Internet|Marc Rogers|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The talk radio phenom and Fox News staple has identified himself as a longtime listener of the TRN patriarch.
The Godfather of Right-Wing Radio|Caitlin Dickson|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Erectile dysfunction jokes have become a staple for comedy in the last 15 years.
Laughter Will Be the Legacy of Viagra|Samantha Allen|October 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Soon enough the young crowd began to notice the drink that has now become a staple.
In Japan, Zima Haz No Zexual Preference|Jake Adelstein, Angela Erika Kubo|September 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The pendulum swing between moods and tone, however, became a staple of the shoot.
How Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig Pulled Off Their Most Dramatic Roles Yet|Kevin Fallon|September 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The door was hasped, with a crook let into a staple so that it might, if necessary, be padlocked.
In the Roar of the Sea|Sabine Baring-Gould
The East, with rival routes and less dependence on staple interests, saw it less clearly.
The New Nation|Frederic L. Paxson
The young Chieftain thrust the point of his dagger between the bolt and the staple, and pressed on it.
The Freebooters|Gustave Aimard
Very few carpenters make their own, as they are staple articles coming in standard sizes.
Carpentry and Woodwork|Edwin W. Foster
It is also the standard pasture for swine where it can be grown, and where alfalfa is not a staple crop.
Clovers and How to Grow Them|Thomas Shaw
British Dictionary definitions for staple (1 of 2)
staple1
/ (ˈsteɪpəl) /
noun
a short length of thin wire bent into a square U-shape, used to fasten papers, cloth, etc
a short length of stiff wire formed into a U-shape with pointed ends, used for holding a hasp to a post, securing electric cables, etc
verb
(tr)to secure (papers, wire, etc) with a staple or staples
Word Origin for staple
Old English stapol prop, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Dutch stapel step, Old High German staffal
British Dictionary definitions for staple (2 of 2)
staple2
/ (ˈsteɪpəl) /
adjective
of prime importance; principalstaple foods
(of a commodity) forming a predominant element in the product, consumption, or trade of a nation, region, etc
noun
a staple commodity
a main constituent; integral part
mainlyUS and Canadiana principal raw material produced or grown in a region
the fibre of wool, cotton, etc, graded as to length and fineness
(in medieval Europe) a town appointed to be the exclusive market for one or more major exports of the land
verb
(tr)to arrange or sort (wool, cotton, etc) according to length and fineness
Word Origin for staple
C15: from Middle Dutch stapel warehouse; see staple1