# Staples

/ˈsteɪpəɫz/ (US) · /stˈeɪpəlz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/staples
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. metal fasteners

noun · CEFR B1

small, U-shaped metal wires that you use to hold pieces of paper together.

For teachers: small, U-shaped wire fasteners driven through sheets of paper and clenched to secure them.

- I need to buy more staples because the stapler is empty.
- The clerk removed the staples from the old documents before feeding the pages into the high-speed scanner.

### 2. essential items

noun · CEFR B2

the most important or common things that people use or eat regularly.

For teachers: basic or essential items of food or trade that are produced or consumed regularly in a community.

- Rice and beans are staples in many diets around the world.
- During the economic crisis, the price of household staples like bread and milk rose sharply, affecting the lowest-income families first.

## Examples

- Rice and beans are staples in many kitchens.
- The office manager ordered more staples and paper clips to keep the filing system organized.
- While luxury goods fluctuate with the market, economic staples like flour and fuel remain in constant demand regardless of the current financial climate.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.