Pronunciation: /ˈsteɪp(ə)l/
noun
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1a main or important element of something: bread, milk, and other staples Greek legend was the staple of classical tragedy
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a main item of trade or production: rubber became the staple of the Malayan economy
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2 [mass noun] the fibre of cotton or wool considered with regard to its length and degree of fineness: [in combination]: jackets made from long-staple Egyptian cotton [as modifier]: he tested the lint for staple length and strength
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3 [often with modifier] historical a centre of trade, especially in a specified commodity: proposals were made for a wool staple at Pisa
adjective
[attributive]-
main or important, especially in terms of consumption: the staple foods of the poor figurative violence is the staple diet of the video generation
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most important in terms of trade or production: rice was the staple crop grown in most villages
