staple

Meaning

Noun

1. A town containing merchants who have exclusive right, under royal authority, to purchase or produce certain goods for export; also, the body of such merchants seen as a group.
2. Place of supply; source.
3. The principal commodity produced in a town or region.
4. A basic or essential supply.
5. A recurring topic or character.
6. Short fiber, as of cotton, sheep’s wool, or the like, which can be spun into yarn or thread.
7. Unmanufactured material; raw material.

Verb

To sort according to its staple.

Adj

1. Relating to, or being market of staple for, commodities.
2. Established in commerce; occupying the markets; settled.
3. Fit to be sold; marketable.
4. Regularly produced or manufactured in large quantities; belonging to wholesale traffic; principal; chief.

Verb

To secure with a staple.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈsteɪ.pəl/

Etymology

From Middle English staple, from Anglo-Norman estaple, Old French estaple (“market, (trading) post”), from Late Latin stapula, from Frankish *stapul, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *stapulaz (“post”), from Proto-Indo-European *stebʰ- (“post, stem”). Compare staff. Doublet of étape and etymology 2.