staff

[ staf, stahf ]

/ stæf, stɑf /

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See synonyms for staff on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural staffs for 1-5, 9; staves

[steyvz] /steɪvz/ or staffs for 6-8, 10, 11.

a group of persons, as employees, charged with carrying out the work of an establishment or executing some undertaking.

a group of assistants to a manager, superintendent, or executive.

a member of a staff.

Military.

a body of officers without command authority, appointed to assist a commanding officer.
the parts of any army concerned with administrative matters, planning, etc., rather than with actual participation in combat.

those members of an organization serving only in an auxiliary or advisory capacity on a given project.Compare line¹ (def. 38).

a stick, pole, or rod for aid in walking or climbing, for use as a weapon, etc.

a rod or wand serving as a symbol of office or authority, as a crozier, baton, truncheon, or mace.

a pole on which a flag is hung or displayed.

something that supports or sustains.

Also stave .Music. a set of horizontal lines, now five in number, with the corresponding four spaces between them, on which music is written.

Archaic. the shaft of a spear, lance, etc.

adjective

of or relating to a military or organizational staff: a staff officer; staff meetings.

(of a professional person) employed on the staff of a corporation, publication, institution, or the like rather than being self-employed or practicing privately: a staff writer; staff physicians at the hospital.

verb (used with object)

to provide with a staff of assistants or workers: She staffed her office with excellent secretaries.

to serve on the staff of.

to send to a staff for study or further work (often followed by out): The White House will staff out the recommendations before making a decision.

verb (used without object)

to hire employees, as for a new office or project (sometimes followed by up): Next month we'll begin staffing up for the reelection campaign.

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of staff

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun staf(fe), stafte, Old English stæf, stæb; cognate with Dutch staf, German Stab, Old Norse stafr staff, Sanskrit root stabh- “support”

grammar notes for staff

See collective noun.

OTHER WORDS FROM staff

staffless, adjectiveun·staffed, adjectivewell-staffed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH staff

staff , staph

Words nearby staff

stadium, stadium jacket, stadle, stadtholder, Staël, staff, Staffa, staff association, staff captain, staff cell, staff college

Other definitions for staff (2 of 2)

staff²

[ staf, stahf ]

/ stæf, stɑf /

noun

a composition of plaster and fibrous material used for a temporary finish and in ornamental work, as on exposition buildings.

Origin of staff

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95; of obscure origin; perhaps from German Stoff stuff

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use staff in a sentence

The litigation highlights what some said is the firm’s extreme approach to departing staff.
The losses continue to pile up for hedge fund king Ray Dalio|Bernhard Warner|September 15, 2020|Fortune
We also distributed a form to staff, which was also volunteer and anonymous.
The 2019 TechCrunch Include Report|Henry Pickavet|September 11, 2020|TechCrunch
In 2019, we surveyed our staff, and the results tell us that we have fallen well short of the goal we set.
The 2019 TechCrunch Include Report|Henry Pickavet|September 11, 2020|TechCrunch
Within days, the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced that it anticipated staying closed through July and laying off much of its staff.
How the coronavirus outbreak is roiling the film and entertainment industries|Alissa Wilkinson|September 11, 2020|Vox

There are also 12 active staff cases and one staff member who has recovered from the coronavirus.
Federal Jail Downtown Now Has One of the Country’s Worst COVID Outbreaks|Maya Srikrishnan|September 10, 2020|Voice of San Diego
They took cover inside a print works to the north east of Paris, where they held a member of staff as a hostage.
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers|Nico Hines|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Although the blood-spattered offices will be off-limits, staff have vowed to continue producing the magazine.
France Mourns—and Hunts|Nico Hines, Christopher Dickey|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
You get these high-profile people that go into prison, and the staff abuse their authority.
How a ‘Real Housewife’ Survives Prison: ‘I Don’t See [Teresa Giudice] Having a Cakewalk Here’|Michael Howard|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He would talk to Mecallari and the staff about what was of paramount importance to him, his two sons.
In The Shadow of Murdered Cops|Michael Daly|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Grimm has even been actively trying hire staff members for his office in recent weeks after several former aides deserted him.
The Felon Who Wouldn’t Leave Congress|Ben Jacobs, David Freedlander|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With each division, in addition to the divisional staff, there were officers detached from the headquarters staff.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
As Felipe approached, the old man's face beamed with pleasure, and he came forward totteringly, leaning on a staff in each hand.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
By the end of the campaign of 1796 he had proved that he was as great a chief of the staff as Bonaparte was a great commander.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
The commander-in-chief still kept him attached to the headquarter staff, and constantly employed him on special service.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
So it was all arranged, and Lawrence went to see his uncle and tell him of his new position on Blair's staff.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn

British Dictionary definitions for staff (1 of 2)

staff¹

/ (stɑːf) /

noun plural for senses 1,3,4 staffs or plural for senses 5-9 staffs or staves (steɪvz)

a group of people employed by a company, individual, etc, for executive, clerical, sales work, etc

(modifier) attached to or provided for the staff of an establishmenta staff doctor

the body of teachers or lecturers of an educational institution, as distinct from the students

the officers appointed to assist a commander, service, or central headquarters organization in establishing policy, plans, etc

a stick with some special use, such as a walking stick or an emblem of authority

something that sustains or supportsbread is the staff of life

a pole on which a flag is hung

mainly British a graduated rod used in surveying, esp for sighting to with a levelling instrumentUsual US name: rod

Also called: stave music

the system of horizontal lines grouped into sets of five (four in the case of plainsong) upon which music is written. The spaces between them are also used, being employed in conjunction with a clef in order to give a graphic indication of pitch
any set of five lines in this system together with its clefthe treble staff

verb

(tr) to provide with a staff

Word Origin for staff

Old English stæf; related to Old Frisian stef, Old Saxon staf, German Stab, Old Norse stafr, Gothic Stafs; see stave

British Dictionary definitions for staff (2 of 2)

staff²

/ (stɑːf) /

noun

US a mixture of plaster and hair used to cover the external surface of temporary structures and for decoration

Word Origin for staff

C19: of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for staff

staff

[ stăf ]

A specific group of workers.

director

To provide with a staff of workers or assistants.

To serve on the staff of.

staff

Origin of staff

grammar notes for staff

OTHER WORDS FROM staff

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH staff

Words nearby staff

Other definitions for staff (2 of 2)

Origin of staff

Words related to staff

How to use staff in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for staff (1 of 2)

Word Origin for staff

British Dictionary definitions for staff (2 of 2)

Word Origin for staff

Medical definitions for staff