staple
noun [ C ]
uk/ˈsteɪpl/ us WORKPLACE
a short thin piece of wire used to fasten pieces of paper together. It has sharp ends that are pushed through the paper and then bent flat by a special tool called a stapler.
ECONOMICS, COMMERCE
the main product of a country, whose trade is important for the country's economy:
Sugar has been the staple of Cuba's economy for centuries.
COMMERCE
a main or important product that people eat or use regularly:
food/household/supermarket staples The giant retailer reported strong sales of household staples like groceries.
COMMERCE
a company or industry that manufactures and sells important products and services that people eat or use regularly:
So-called safe areas in the stock market continue to be consumer staples and drug companies.
Millions of people daily use internet staples such as Google and Amazon.
a main or important part of something:
Once a staple of men's business wardrobes, the suit is becoming more rare.
staple
adjective [ before noun ]
uk/ˈsteɪpl/ usbasic, main, or standard:
staple crop/food/product
staple
verb [ T ]
WORKPLACE uk/ˈsteɪpl/ usto fasten pieces of paper together using staples:
staple sth to sth The list can then be stapled to each batch of invoices.
staple sth together She stapled the two documents together.