| Noun | 1. | staple - (usually plural) a necessary commodity for which demand is constant | |
| 2. | staple - material suitable for manufacture or use or finishingmaterial, 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" | |
| 3. | staple - a short U-shaped wire nail for securing cablesnail - a thin pointed piece of metal that is hammered into materials as a fastener | |
| 4. | staple - paper fastener consisting of a short length of U-shaped wire that can fasten papers together | |
| 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 foods or commodities; "wheat is a staple crop"essential - basic and fundamental; "the essential feature" | |