staple
Staple (noun) means a basic food or item that is used regularly and is essential to daily life. Example: “Rice is a staple in many Asian households.”
How to use staple
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither something basic and essential (a staple food), or the small wire fastener used with a stapler.
Don't confuse the verb "staple" (to fasten with a staple) with "stable" (steady, or a building for horses) — they're spelled and pronounced quite differently but get typo-confused often.
Word forms
stapled past tense, stapled past tense, staples plural, staples plural, Staples plural, staples singular, staples singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Rice is a _____ in many Asian households.
Etymology
From Old French estaple ("market" or "trading post"), from a Germanic root meaning "post" or "pillar" — the same root that gives us "staff." The fastener sense developed later from the same word for a bent metal post or clasp.
Related words
Rhymes for staple
See all rhymes for staple →Frequently asked questions
What does “staple” mean?
The word “staple” means a basic food or item that is used regularly and is essential to daily life. In plain terms, either something basic and essential (a staple food), or the small wire fastener used with a stapler.
How do you pronounce “staple”?
“Staple” is pronounced STAY-puhl (/ˈsteɪ.pəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “staple” in a sentence?
Here is “staple” used in a sentence: “Rice is a staple in many Asian households.”
What part of speech is “staple”?
Depending on how it is used, “staple” can be a noun, a verb and an adjective.
Where does the word “staple” come from?
The word “staple” comes from Old French.
Is “staple” a common word?
“Staple” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “staple” have?
“Staple” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a basic food or item that is used regularly and is essential to daily life.
What is the difference between a staple food and a staple item?
A staple food refers specifically to a basic food used regularly and essential to daily life, such as rice or bread, while a staple item is a broader term for anything, food or otherwise, that appears regularly or is expected as a standard part of a category. Both senses share the core idea of something basic and consistently relied upon.
What is the difference between staple as a noun and staple as a verb?
As a noun, a staple is either a small U-shaped piece of wire used to fasten paper, or a basic, regularly used item; as a verb, to staple means to fasten something using one of those small wire pieces. Context makes clear which sense is meant, since the verb always involves the act of fastening.
What does it mean to call something a staple of a diet or wardrobe?
Calling something a staple of a diet or wardrobe means it is a basic, essential item that appears regularly and is relied upon as a standard part of that category. A staple carries the sense of dependability and frequent use rather than novelty.