Staple Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary (original) (raw)

Britannica Dictionary definition of STAPLE

[count]

:

a piece of metal or wire in the shape of a U that is used for attaching things: such as

a

:

a short, thin wire that goes through papers and is bent over at the ends to hold the papers together or that goes through a piece of paper, a photograph, etc., to attach it to a surface

• Please fasten the pages (together) with paper clips rather than staples.
• The notice was attached to the wall with staples.

— see also stapler

b

:

a piece of metal or thick wire that is pushed into a surface to hold or attach something (such as rope or wire)

— see also staple gun

Britannica Dictionary definition of STAPLE

[+ object]

:

to attach (something) with staples

• I stapled the pages in the upper left corner.

— often + to or together

• I stapled the check to the form.
• The notice had been stapled to the wall.
• I stapled the pages together.

Britannica Dictionary definition of STAPLE

[count]

1

:

an important food that is eaten very often

• I need to buy some staples, like bread and milk.
• Rice is the staple of their diet.

2

:

the main product of a country, area, company, etc.

• Technology has replaced steel as the region's staple.

3

:

something that is used widely and often

• Rock music was a staple when I was growing up.

— often + of

• His writings are a staple of [=a basic part of] economic theory.

Britannica Dictionary definition of STAPLE

always used before a noun

1

:

used, needed, or enjoyed constantly by many people

• such staple items as flour and sugar
• That's a staple plot in mystery novels.

— see also staple diet

2

:

produced regularly or in large quantities

• staple crops like wheat, rice, or sugarcane