adj. 1 basic, elementary, essential, necessary, requisite, required, vital, indispensable, critical, fundamental, primary, principal, main, chief These people cannot afford even staple commodities like flour and salt 2 standard, usual, habitual, ordinary, customary, prevailing, normal, conventional, universal The staple fare on television seems to consist of old and new sitcoms
n. 3 Often, staples. necessities, essentials, basics, fundamentals Supermarkets disperse low-cost staples such as bread, tea, and milk to force shoppers to pass luxury items Marital and financial problems are the staples of soap operas.