staple

sta·ple ¹  (stpl)

n.

1. A principal raw material or commodity grown or produced in a region.

2. A major item of trade in steady demand.

3. A basic dietary item, such as flour, rice, or corn.

4. A basic or principal element or feature.

5. The fiber of cotton, wool, or flax, graded as to length and fineness.

adj.

1. Produced or stocked in large quantities to meet steady demand: Wheat is a staple crop.

2. Principal; main: a staple topic of conversation.

tr.v. sta·pled, sta·pling, sta·ples

To grade (fibers) according to length and fineness.

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[Middle English, official market for purchase of export goods, from Anglo-Norman estaple, perhaps from Middle Dutch stpel, heap, emporium.]

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staple ¹

Noun

a short length of wire bent into a square U-shape, used to fasten papers or secure things

Verb

[-pling, -pled]

to secure (things) with staples [Old English stapol prop]

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staple ²

Adjective

of prime importance; principal: the staple diet of a country

Noun

1. something that forms a main part of the product, consumption, or trade of a region

2. a main constituent of anything: the personal reflections which make up the staple of the book [Middle Dutch stapel warehouse]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	staple - (usually plural) a necessary commodity for which demand is constant basic commodity, trade good, good - articles of commerce plural, plural form - the form of a word that is used to denote more than one
	2.	staple - a natural fiber (raw cotton, wool, hemp, flax) that can be twisted to form yarn; "staple fibers vary widely in length" staple fiber, staple fibre natural fiber, natural fibre - fiber derived from plants or animals
	3.	staple - material suitable for manufacture or use or finishing raw material material, stuff - the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object; "coal is a hard black material"; "wheat is the stuff they use to make bread" feedstock - the raw material that is required for some industrial process
	4.	staple - a short U-shaped wire nail for securing cables nail - a thin pointed piece of metal that is hammered into materials as a fastener
	5.	staple - paper fastener consisting of a short length of U-shaped wire that can fasten papers together paper fastener - a fastener for holding a sheet of paper in place
Verb	1.	staple - secure or fasten with a staple or staples; "staple the papers together" fasten, fix, secure - cause to be firmly attached; "fasten the lock onto the door"; "she fixed her gaze on the man" unstaple - take the staples off; "unstaple the piece of paper from the receipt"
Adj.	1.	staple - necessary or important, especially regarding food or commodities; "wheat is a staple crop" essential - basic and fundamental; "the essential feature"

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staple

adjective principal, chief, main, key, basic, essential, primary, fundamental, predominant

Translations

staple [ˈsteɪpl] n (for papers) → grapa;

(product) → producto or artículo de primeva necesidad

adj [crop, industry, food etc] → básico

vt → grapar

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staple [ˈsteɪpl] n (for papers) → agrafe f (= chief product); produit m de base

adj [food, crop, industry etc] → de base principal(e)

vt → agrafer

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staple [ˈsteɪpl] n (for papers) → Heftklammer f;

(chief product) → Hauptartikel m

adj (food, diet) → Grund-, Haupt-

vt → heften

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staple [ˈsteɪpl] n (for papers) → graffetta (= chief product); prodotto principale

adj [food etc] → di base; [crop, industry] → principale

vt → cucire