staph

American  

[staf] / stæf /

noun

Informal.

1. staphylococcus.

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Etymology

Origin of staph

First recorded in 1930–35; by shortening

Example Sentences

Weeks later, doctors discovered he had staph infection - which is caused by staphylococcus, a germ that lives in the nose of one in three people and can enter the body through a cut.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

This led to nasty staph infections, with a side of flu, bronchitis and pneumonia.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

Before Pregerson issued his ruling, one man testified that he’d been forced to sleep under another man’s bunk in a five-person cell, where he’d eventually developed a staph infection from the mold and mildew.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2024

"The preliminary data shows the material is effective at eliminating common bacteria such as staph or E. coli," she said.

From Science Daily • Nov. 16, 2023

There weren't any antibiotics available, either, so staph infection was rampant – leaving little girls with oozing sores on their legs and boys with pus-filled open wounds on their necks.

From Salon • Sep. 2, 2023