"staple" in the noun sense
1. basic, staple
usually in the plural) a necessary commodity for which demand is constant
2. staple, staple fiber, staple fibre
a natural fiber (raw cotton, wool, hemp, flax) that can be twisted to form yarn
"staple fibers vary widely in length"
3. raw material, staple
material suitable for manufacture or use or finishing
4. staple
a short U-shaped wire nail for securing cables
5. staple
paper fastener consisting of a short length of U-shaped wire that can fasten papers together
"staple" in the verb sense
1. staple
secure or fasten with a staple or staples
"staple the papers together"
"staple" in the adjective sense
1. staple
necessary or important, especially regarding food or commodities
"wheat is a staple crop"
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
Princeton University "About WordNet®."
WordNet®. Princeton University. 2010.
View WordNet® License