staff

1 of 2

noun

plural staffs ˈstafs How to pronounce staff (audio)
ˈstavz
or staves ˈstavz How to pronounce staff (audio)
ˈstāvz
1
a
: a long stick carried in the hand for support in walking
b
: a supporting rod: such as
(1)
archaic : shaft sense 1a(1)
(2)
: a crosspiece in a ladder or chair : rung
(3)
(4)
: a pivoted arbor
c
2
a
b
: a rod carried as a symbol of office or authority
3
: the horizontal lines with their spaces on which music is written

called also stave

4
: any of various graduated sticks or rules used for measuring : rod
5
plural staffs
a
: the officers chiefly responsible for the internal operations of an institution or business
b
: a group of officers appointed to assist a civil executive or commanding officer
c
: military or naval officers not eligible for operational command
d
: the personnel who assist a director in carrying out an assigned task
e
plural staff : a member of a staff
employs three full-time staff
staff adjective

staff

2 of 2

verb

staffed; staffing; staffs

transitive verb

1
: to supply with a staff or with workers
2
: to serve as a staff member of
an organization staffed by volunteers

Examples of staff in a Sentence

Noun The entire staff has done a great job this year. The staff is at a meeting. She's a new member of the staff. The general's staff is planning the army's next move. Verb We'll need 300 workers to properly staff the hotel. the 300 workers who staff the hotel
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Dodgers star not accused of betting on baseball, sports March 21, 2024 Mizuhara served as a liaison between Ohtani and the coaching staff, accompanying managers and pitching coaches on mound visits. Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 Binford, Martin and Butler were referred to Epstein and Cantley, their lawyers, by another former Norton staff member who filed a separate racial discrimination case against Norton in December 2021. The Courier-Journal, 21 Mar. 2024 Compiled by Democrat-Gazette staff from wire reports Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez are now divorced. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 20 Mar. 2024 According to The Mirror, at least one staff member at The London Clinic in Marylebone, London, attempted to illegally access the Princess of Wales’ medical records. Liza Esquibias, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024 More than two hours before the first pitch, a line wound around the MLB merchandise tent as staff let fans inside in groups to prevent crowding in the store. Brad Lendon and Gawon Bae, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024 Following the City Council’s vote on March 12, staff will be exploring options to allow the top portion of the fence to be made of other materials that would still allow for the 90 percent view, such as metal rails or hog wire, a fence style where wires cross through frames. Lauren J. Mapp, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2024 The staff members include the fire chief, two deputy chiefs, three lieutenants and nine firefighters, some of whom are also paramedics. The Enquirer, 9 Mar. 2024 These are staff members who leave a company and rejoin the ranks at a later date. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2024
Verb
But the recovery came with challenges caused by staffing changes and industry shifts. Abha Bhattarai, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024 And that was before staffing issues in multiple Wisconsin prisons in recent years have resulted in chronic lockdowns and service interruptions. Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2024 The new operation was more or less a joint venture, run by the Israelites and staffed by skilled Phoenician workers who held the secrets to making the dye, Dr. Shalvi said. Franz Lidz, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 Its journalism flourished in competition from The Cambodia Daily, which was founded in 1993 and also heavily staffed by young Westerners. Sopheng Cheang The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 3 Mar. 2024 Fully staffed, the office has nine employees, Naitore Djigbenou, a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spokesperson, said. Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 1 Mar. 2024 Local residencies are offering pathways in areas like special education and bilingual education that are especially difficult to staff. Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2024 The Pentagon oversees the White House medical team, which is staffed by career military medical personnel and has become the focus of several investigations in the wake of Jackson’s tenure. Alex Horton, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 The Postal Service will host several job fairs this month at its Wanamaker Post Office Branch, 7950 Southeastern Ave., to staff the center. Jen Guadarrama, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'staff.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English staf, from Old English stæf; akin to Old High German stab staff, Sanskrit stabhnāti he supports

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of staff was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near staff

Cite this Entry

“Staff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/staff. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

staff

1 of 2 noun
plural staffs ˈstafs How to pronounce staff (audio)
ˈstavz
or staves ˈstavz How to pronounce staff (audio)
ˈstāvz
1
a
: a pole, stick, rod, or bar used as a support or as a sign of authority
a flag hanging limp on its staff
b
: the long handle of a weapon (as a lance or pike)
2
: something that is a source of strength
bread is the staff of life
3
: the five horizontal lines and the spaces between them on which music is written
4
plural staffs
a
: a group of persons serving as assistants to or employees under a chief
a hospital staff
b
: military officers who assist a commanding officer in planning and management but who do not take part in actual combat
staff adjective

staff

2 of 2 verb
: to supply with a staff or with workers

Medical Definition

staff

noun
: the doctors and surgeons regularly attached to a hospital and helping to determine its policies and guide its activities

More from Merriam-Webster on staff

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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