Definitions
necessary or important, especially regarding food or commodities
Word origin
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.
Used in a sentence
“The customs of Alexandria were very great, it having been the staple of the Indian trade.”
“For the increase of trade and the encouragement of the worthy burgesses of Woodstock, her majesty was minded to erect the town into a staple for wool.”
“Whitehall naturally became the chief staple of news. Whenever there was a rumour that anything important had happened or was about to happen, people hastened thither to obtain intelligence from the fountain head.”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer1 curated clues
01“Basic necessity”6 letters
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