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 ;

1. (

• staple

) secure or fasten with a staple or staples; "staple the papers together" ;

1. (

• staple

) necessary or important, especially regarding food or commodities; "wheat is a staple crop" ;