staff

¹

[ staf, stahf ]

noun

, plural staffs staves [steyvz] or staffs

1. a group of persons, as employees, charged with carrying out the work of an establishment or executing some undertaking.
2. a group of assistants to a manager, superintendent, or executive.
3. a member of a staff.
4. Military.
   1. a body of officers without command authority, appointed to assist a commanding officer.
   2. the parts of any army concerned with administrative matters, planning, etc., rather than with actual participation in combat.
5. those members of an organization serving only in an auxiliary or advisory capacity on a given project. Compare line ¹( def 38 ).
6. a stick, pole, or rod for aid in walking or climbing, for use as a weapon, etc.
7. a rod or wand serving as a symbol of office or authority, as a crozier, baton, truncheon, or mace.
8. a pole on which a flag is hung or displayed.
9. something that supports or sustains.
10. Also . Music. a set of horizontal lines, now five in number, with the corresponding four spaces between them, on which music is written.
11. Archaic. the shaft of a spear, lance, etc.

adjective

1. of or relating to a military or organizational staff:

   a staff officer; staff meetings.

2. (of a professional person) employed on the staff of a corporation, publication, institution, or the like rather than being self-employed or practicing privately:

   a staff writer; staff physicians at the hospital.

verb (used with object)

1. to provide with a staff of assistants or workers:

   She staffed her office with excellent secretaries.

2. to serve on the staff of.
3. to send to a staff for study or further work (often followed by out ):

   The White House will staff out the recommendations before making a decision.

verb (used without object)

1. to hire employees, as for a new office or project (sometimes followed by up ):

   Next month we'll begin staffing up for the reelection campaign.

staff

²

[ staf, stahf ]

noun

1. a composition of plaster and fibrous material used for a temporary finish and in ornamental work, as on exposition buildings.

staff

¹

/ stɑːf /

noun

1. a mixture of plaster and hair used to cover the external surface of temporary structures and for decoration

staff

²

/ stɑːf /

noun

1. a group of people employed by a company, individual, etc, for executive, clerical, sales work, etc
2. modifier attached to or provided for the staff of an establishment

   a staff doctor

3. the body of teachers or lecturers of an educational institution, as distinct from the students
4. the officers appointed to assist a commander, service, or central headquarters organization in establishing policy, plans, etc
5. a stick with some special use, such as a walking stick or an emblem of authority
6. something that sustains or supports

   bread is the staff of life

7. a pole on which a flag is hung
8. a graduated rod used in surveying, esp for sighting to with a levelling instrument Usual US namerod
9. Also calledstave music
   1. the system of horizontal lines grouped into sets of five (four in the case of plainsong) upon which music is written. The spaces between them are also used, being employed in conjunction with a clef in order to give a graphic indication of pitch
   2. any set of five lines in this system together with its clef

      the treble staff

verb

1. tr to provide with a staff

Grammar Note

See collective noun.

Other Words From

• staffless adjective
• un·staffed adjective
• well-staffed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of staff¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun staf(fe), stafte, Old English stæf, stæb; cognate with Dutch staf, German Stab, Old Norse stafr staff, Sanskrit root stabh- “support”

Origin of staff²

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95; of obscure origin; perhaps from German Stoff stuff

Word History and Origins

Origin of staff¹

C19: of unknown origin

Origin of staff²

Old English stæf ; related to Old Frisian stef , Old Saxon staf , German Stab , Old Norse stafr , Gothic Stafs ; see stave

Example Sentences

The litigation highlights what some said is the firm’s extreme approach to departing staff.

From Fortune

We also distributed a form to staff, which was also volunteer and anonymous.

From TechCrunch

In 2019, we surveyed our staff, and the results tell us that we have fallen well short of the goal we set.

From TechCrunch

Within days, the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced that it anticipated staying closed through July and laying off much of its staff.

From Vox

There are also 12 active staff cases and one staff member who has recovered from the coronavirus.

From Voice of San Diego

They took cover inside a print works to the north east of Paris, where they held a member of staff as a hostage.

From The Daily Beast

Although the blood-spattered offices will be off-limits, staff have vowed to continue producing the magazine.

From The Daily Beast

You get these high-profile people that go into prison, and the staff abuse their authority.

From The Daily Beast

He would talk to Mecallari and the staff about what was of paramount importance to him, his two sons.

From The Daily Beast

Grimm has even been actively trying hire staff members for his office in recent weeks after several former aides deserted him.

From The Daily Beast

With each division, in addition to the divisional staff, there were officers detached from the headquarters staff.

From Project Gutenberg

As Felipe approached, the old man's face beamed with pleasure, and he came forward totteringly, leaning on a staff in each hand.

From Project Gutenberg

By the end of the campaign of 1796 he had proved that he was as great a chief of the staff as Bonaparte was a great commander.

From Project Gutenberg

The commander-in-chief still kept him attached to the headquarter staff, and constantly employed him on special service.

From Project Gutenberg

So it was all arranged, and Lawrence went to see his uncle and tell him of his new position on Blair's staff.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cadre
• crew
• faculty
• force
• organization
• personnel
• team
• work force

What Is The Plural Of Staff?

Plural word for staff

The plural form of staff is staffs. For some meanings of the word staff, staves, pronounced [ steyvz ] is also an acceptable plural form. However, it is easier to use the plural form staffs, which is valid for all meanings of the word staff. 

The plural of several other words that end in -f are also formed this way, including playoff/playoffs, cliff/cliffs, and roof/roofs. In some instances, words that end in -f are made plural by changing the ending to -ves, as in half/halves or leaf/leaves, which derives directly from their original pluralization in Old English. This is the plural form we see in staff/staves.