staple

¹ American  

[stey-puhl] / ˈsteɪ pəl /

noun

1. 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.

2. 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.

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verb (used with object)

stapled, stapling

1. to secure or fasten by a staple or staples.

   to staple three sheets together.

staple ² American  

[stey-puhl] / ˈsteɪ pəl /

noun

1. a principal raw material or commodity grown or manufactured in a locality.

2. a principal commodity in a mercantile field; goods in steady demand or of known or recognized quality.

3. a basic or necessary item of food.

   She bought flour, sugar, salt, and other staples.

4. a basic or principal item, thing, feature, element, or part.

   Cowboy dramas are a staple on television.

5. the fiber of wool, cotton, flax, rayon, etc., considered with reference to length and fineness.

6. Textiles. a standard length of textile fibers, representing the average of such fibers taken collectively, as short-staple or long-staple cotton.

7. 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.

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adjective

1. chief or prominent among the products exported or produced by a country or district; chiefly or largely dealt in or consumed.

2. basic, chief, or principal.

   staple industries.

3. principally used.

   staple subjects of conversation.

verb (used with object)

stapled, stapling

1. to sort or classify according to the staple or fiber, as wool.

staple ¹ British  

/ ˈsteɪpəl /

adjective

1. of prime importance; principal

   staple foods

2. (of a commodity) forming a predominant element in the product, consumption, or trade of a nation, region, etc

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noun

1. a staple commodity

2. a main constituent; integral part

3. a principal raw material produced or grown in a region

4. the fibre of wool, cotton, etc, graded as to length and fineness

5. (in medieval Europe) a town appointed to be the exclusive market for one or more major exports of the land

verb

1. (tr) to arrange or sort (wool, cotton, etc) according to length and fineness

staple ² British  

/ ˈsteɪpəl /

noun

1. a short length of thin wire bent into a square U-shape, used to fasten papers, cloth, etc

2. 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

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verb

1. (tr) to secure (papers, wire, etc) with a staple or staples

Etymology

Origin of staple¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English stapel “support, stake, post,” Old English stapol “post, column”; cognate with Middle Dutch stapel “foundation,” German Stapel “pile,” Old Norse stǫpull “pillar”

Origin of staple²

First recorded in 1350–1400; late Middle English staple, stapel “official market where merchants have trading rights,” from Anglo-French staple, Old French estaple, from Medieval Latin stapula, staplus, from Middle Dutch stapel, stapol

Example Sentences

Ten years later, while their daughter cheers from a distance at Oregon State, the couple remain loyal to the Bruins and are a staple of Section 103 at Pauley Pavilion as season-ticket holders.

From Los Angeles Times

With spuds a staple on our dinner tables, this is the time of year when early potatoes usually get planted.

From BBC

The best strategy is to sell staples and use the proceeds to rotate into healthcare.

From Barron's

“A decisive break below this trendline would not only point to continued staples leadership but may also signal a broader shift toward rising risk aversion among investors,” he said.

From Barron's

We can howl about how this stuff hurts the business of up-and-coming fighters, but aging punchers grabbing late checks is a staple of the trade.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• predominant