staff

¹staff

noun \ˈstaf\

plural staffs \ˈstafs, ˈstavz\ or staves \ˈstavz, ˈstāvz\

Definition of STAFF

1

a : a long stick carried in the hand for support in walking

b : a supporting rod: as (1) archaic : shaft 1a(1) (2) : a crosspiece in a ladder or chair : rung (3) : flagstaff (4) : a pivoted arbor

c : club, cudgel

2

a : crosier

b : a rod carried as a symbol of office or authority

3

: the horizontal lines with their spaces on which music is written —called also stave

4

: any of various graduated sticks or rules used for measuring : rod

5

plural staffs

a : the officers chiefly responsible for the internal operations of an institution or business

b : a group of officers appointed to assist a civil executive or commanding officer

c : military or naval officers not eligible for operational command

d : the personnel who assist a director in carrying out an assigned task

e plural staff : a member of a staff <employs three full-time staff>

— staff adjective

Examples of STAFF

1. The entire staff has done a great job this year.
2. The staff is at a meeting.
3. She's a new member of the staff.
4. The general's staff is planning the army's next move.

Origin of STAFF

Middle English staf, from Old English stæf; akin to Old High German stab staff, Sanskrit stabhnāti he supports

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to STAFF

Synonyms

help, labor force, manpower, personnel, pool, force, workforce

Related Words

labor, proletariat, rank and file; band, company, crew, gang, outfit, party, squad, team; employee (also employe), helper, hireling, worker; blood; support

Rhymes with STAFF

caff, calf, chaff, daff, gaff, gaffe, graph, half, laugh, quaff, raff, sclaff, staph, Waf, waff

²staff

transitive verb

Definition of STAFF

1

: to supply with a staff or with workers

2

: to serve as a staff member of <an organization staffed by volunteers>

Examples of STAFF

1. We'll need 300 workers to properly staff the hotel.
2. the 300 workers who staff the hotel

First Known Use of STAFF

1859

staff

noun \ˈstaf\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of STAFF

: the doctors and surgeons regularly attached to a hospital and helping to determine its policies and guide its activities