Etymology 1

Noun

1. A basic or essential supply.
2. A basic food.

   Rice is a staple in the diet of many cultures.

Etymology 2

Noun

1. A wire fastener used to secure stacks of paper by penetrating all the sheets and curling around.
2. A wire fastener used to secure something else by penetrating and curling.

   Can you believe they use staples to hold cars together these days?

3. A U-shaped metal fastener, used to attach fence wire or other material to posts or structures.

   The rancher used staples to attach the barbed wire to the fence-posts.

4. One of a set of U-shaped metal rods hammered into a structure, such as a piling or wharf, which serve as a ladder.

   Fortunately, there were staples in the quay wall, and she was able to climb out of the water.

Noun

1. The length of the fibers in cotton, sheep’s wool, or the like, a measure of its usefulness for spinning
   • Tow is flax with short staple.