staple

staple

staple¹ [stā′pəl]

n.

[ME stapel < OFr estaple < MDu stapel, mart, emporium, post, orig. support, akin to STAPLE²]

1. the chief commodity, or any of the most important commodities, made, grown, or sold in a particular place, region, country, etc.

2. a chief item, part, material, or element in anything

3. any chief item of trade, regularly stocked and in constant demand [flour, sugar, and salt are staples]

4. the fiber of cotton, wool, flax, etc., with reference to length and fineness

adj.

1. regularly found on the market or in stock as a result of a constant demand

2. produced, consumed, or exported regularly and in quantity

3. most important; leading; principal [staple industries]

vt.

stapled, stapling

to sort (wool, cotton, etc.) according to the nature of its staple

staple² [stā′pəl]

n.

[ME stapel < OE stapol, post, pillar, akin to Ger stapel, stake, beam: for IE base see STAMP]

1. a U-shaped piece of metal with sharp, pointed ends, driven into a surface to keep a hook, hasp, wire, etc. firmly in place

2. a similar piece of thin wire driven through papers and clinched over as a binding

vt.

stapled, stapling

to fasten or bind with a staple or staples