staple

1 of 4

noun (1)

sta·​ple ˈstā-pəl 

: a usually U-shaped fastener: such as

a

: a metal loop both ends of which are driven into a surface to hold the hook, hasp, or bolt of a lock, secure a rope, or fix a wire in place

b

: a small wire both ends of which are driven through layers of thin and easily penetrable material (such as paper) and usually clinched to hold the layers together

c

: a usually metal surgical fastener used to hold layers of tissue together (as in the closure of an incision)

staple

2 of 4

verb

stapled; stapling ˈstā-p(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

: to provide with or secure by staples

staple

3 of 4

noun (2)

1

: a town used as a center for the sale or exportation of commodities in bulk

2

: a place of supply : source

3

: a chief commodity or production of a place

4

a

: a commodity for which the demand is constant

b

: something having widespread and constant use or appeal

c

: the sustaining or principal element : substance

5

: raw material

6

a

: textile fiber (such as wool and rayon) of relatively short length that when spun and twisted forms a yarn rather than a filament

b

: the length of a piece of such textile fiber

staple

4 of 4

adjective

1

: used, needed, or enjoyed constantly usually by many individuals

2

: produced regularly or in large quantities

staple crops such as wheat and rice

3

: principal, chief

Synonyms

Noun (2)

• body
• brunt
• bulk
• chief
• core
• generality
• heft [archaic]
• main
• mass
• weight

Examples of staple in a Sentence

Verb

I stapled the pages in the upper left corner.

Noun (2)

reading is the very staple of a person's education

Adjective

such staple items as flour and sugar

That's a staple plot in mystery novels.

staple crops like wheat, rice, or sugarcane

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

When the economy slows, discretionary spending is often punted but staples continue to be bought. —Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025

Mac was also a staple of the small screen, especially with the success of his long-running series, The Bernie Mac Show. —Ew Staff, EW.com, 26 Apr. 2025

Verb

In a virtuosic struggle, Chee almost gets Reynolds, whose dark hood seems to have been stapled onto his head, because no matter how much tackling and wrestling and shooting at Chee is able to manage, the hood never lifts an inch above his eyes. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025

Jekyll staples The Wharf and Tortuga Jack’s both appear amongst the 10 Best Beach Bars, as voted by readers. —Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2025

Adjective

The Terror of Surviving Cancer Mr. Poilievre, 45, a career politician, supports many staple conservative policies, such as cutting back the role of the state, limiting taxes, supporting Canada’s oil-and-gas industries and being tough on crime. —Matina Stevis-Gridneff, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025

Intro Denim Roll-Tab Shirt Denim shirts never go out of style — just ask celebs like Joanna Gaines, Mindy Kaling, and Katie Holmes, who all wore the staple piece in different ways recently. —Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 27 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English stapel post, staple, from Old English stapol post; akin to Middle Dutch stapel step, heap, emporium, Old English steppan to step

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French estaple, from Middle Dutch stapel emporium

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing staple

• staple diet
• staple gun

Rhymes for staple

• maple
• papal

Kids Definition

staple

1 of 4 noun

sta·​ple ˈstā-pəl 

: a usually U-shaped fastener: as

a

: a piece of metal with sharp points to be driven into a surface to hold something (as a hook, rope, or wire)

b

: a piece of thin wire that is driven through papers and bent over at the ends to fasten them together or driven through thin material to fasten it to something else

c

: a usually metal surgical fastener used to hold layers of tissue together (as in the closing of a wound)

staple

2 of 4 verb

stapled; stapling -p(ə-)liŋ 

: to fasten with staples

staple

3 of 4 noun

1

: a chief product of business or farming of a place

2

a

: something in widespread and constant use or demand

b

: the chief part of something

potatoes are the staple of their diet

3

: raw material

4

: textile fiber (as wool or rayon) suitable for spinning into yarn

staple

4 of 4 adjective

1

: used, needed, or enjoyed constantly usually by many individuals

2

: produced regularly or in large quantities

staple crops such as wheat and rice

3

: principal entry 1, chief

bamboo is the staple diet of the panda

Etymology

Noun

Old English stapol "post"

Noun

Middle English staple "a major market town, place for exporting"; of Dutch origin

Medical Definition

staple

noun

sta·​ple ˈstā-pəl 

: a usually U-shaped and typically metal surgical fastener used to hold layers of tissue together (as in the closure of an incision)

staple transitive verb

stapled; stapling

stapler

-plər 

noun