staple
1 Americannoun
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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.
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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)
noun
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a principal raw material or commodity grown or manufactured in a locality.
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a principal commodity in a mercantile field; goods in steady demand or of known or recognized quality.
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a basic or necessary item of food.
She bought flour, sugar, salt, and other staples.
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a basic or principal item, thing, feature, element, or part.
Cowboy dramas are a staple on television.
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the fiber of wool, cotton, flax, rayon, etc., considered with reference to length and fineness.
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Textiles. a standard length of textile fibers, representing the average of such fibers taken collectively, as short-staple or long-staple cotton.
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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
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chief or prominent among the products exported or produced by a country or district; chiefly or largely dealt in or consumed.
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basic, chief, or principal.
staple industries.
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principally used.
staple subjects of conversation.
verb (used with object)
adjective
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of prime importance; principal
staple foods
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(of a commodity) forming a predominant element in the product, consumption, or trade of a nation, region, etc
noun
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a staple commodity
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a main constituent; integral part
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a principal raw material produced or grown in a region
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the fibre of wool, cotton, etc, graded as to length and fineness
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(in medieval Europe) a town appointed to be the exclusive market for one or more major exports of the land
verb
noun
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a short length of thin wire bent into a square U-shape, used to fasten papers, cloth, etc
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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
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
However, the evidence suggests it may be wiser to treat it as an occasional indulgence rather than a daily staple.
From Science Daily
Iona is perched on a table by a windowsill, stapling albums to the ceiling as decor to liven up the record store she runs — not that the place needs much livening-up, considering Iona’s look.
From Salon
That glamour has been a staple part of F1 throughout its 76 year history, with precisely engineered cars and luxury brands converging in desirable cities across the world.
From BBC
Industrial stocks and the consumer staples sector are among this year’s market leaders.
From Barron's
Industrial stocks and the consumer staples sector are among this year’s market leaders.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
