staff en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- [steəf] (Canada, US)
- [stäːf] (Australia, New-Zealand)
- [staf] (Ireland, Northern-England, Scotland)
- [stɛəf] (Canada, US)
- [stɑːf] (Received-Pronunciation)
- [stæf] (Canada, US)
- stăf
- /stɑːf/
- /stæf/
- stäf
- [stɐːf] (Australia, New-Zealand)
- [stäf] (Ireland, Northern-England, Scotland)
Etymology
From Middle English staf, from Old English stæf (“letter of the alphabet”), from Proto-West Germanic *stab, from Proto-Germanic *stabaz. Cognate with Dutch staf, German Stab, Danish stav, Swedish stav. Sense of "group of military officers that assists a commander" and similar meanings, attested from 1702, is influenced by or is even from German Stab.
Meanings
-
(countable, qualifier:plural staffs or staves, uncountable) A long, straight, thick wooden rod or stick, especially one used to assist in walking.
And thus ſhall ye eate it [the lamb]: with your loines girded, your ſhooes on your feet, and your ſtaffe in your hand: and ye ſhall eate it in haſte: it is the Lords Paſſeouer.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 12:11, column 2:The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff.
1927, F. E. Penny, chapter 4, in Pulling the Strings:
- (countable, qualifier:plural staffs or staves, uncountable) A series of horizontal lines on which musical notes are written; a stave.
-
(countable, qualifier:plural staff or staffs, uncountable) People employed by a business or other organisation.
It turns out that, in journalistic terms, and especially at the FT, where many staff see out their entire careers, seven years is nothing.
2023 November 25, Rebecca Rose, “How old is too old for a profile pic?”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 22:The company employed 10 new members of staff this month.
No department of the Southern Railway escaped some share of the work involved, and the outdoor traffic and locomotive staffs in particular were engaged literally night and day, snatching a few hours' sleep as opportunity offered, until the task was completed.
1940 July, “Notes and News: A Magnificent Transport Achievement”, in Railway Magazine, page 419:Most staff do not have the skills to cope with such challenging patients, who too often receive "impersonal" care and suffer from boredom, the first National Audit of Dementia found. It says hospitals should introduce "dementia champions".
2011 December 16, Denis Campbell, “Hospital staff 'lack skills to cope with dementia patients'”, in Guardian:The company has taken on 1600 more highly-paid staff.
- (uncountable) A mixture of plaster and fibre used as a temporary exterior wall covering.
-
(countable, uncountable) A pole, stick, or wand borne as an ensign of authority; a badge of office.
Me thought this ſtaffe mine Office-badge in Court / Was broke in twaine:
1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 122, column 2:a constable's staff
All his officers brake their staves; but at their return new staves were delivered unto them.
a. 1628 (date written), John Hayward, The Life, and Raigne of King Edward the Sixt, London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press, and J. Lichfield at Oxford?] for Iohn Partridge, […], published 1630, →OCLC:
- (countable, uncountable) A pole upon which a flag is supported and displayed.
-
(archaic, countable, uncountable) The rung of a ladder.
I ascend at one [ladder] of six hundred and thirty-nine staves.
1739, John Campbell, The Travels and Adventures of Edward Bevan, Esq.:
-
(countable, uncountable) A series of verses so disposed that, when it is concluded, the same order begins again; a stanza; a stave.
At this point the reciter of the story chants the following staves:— "Oh! the Day-horse. Oh! the Day-horse, The Day-horse has gone to the river Gang, The Day-horse has floated to the Sora Sea, Oh! the Day-horse."
1918, James George Frazer, Folk-Lore In The Old Testament, volume 1, page 20:Mr. Cowley had found out, that no kind of Staff is proper for an Heroick Poem; as being all too lirical:
1697, Virgil, “To the Most Honourable John, Lord Marquess of Normanby, Earl of Mulgrave, &c. and Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page [192]:
- (countable, uncountable) An arbor, as of a wheel or a pinion of a watch.
- (countable, uncountable) The grooved director for the gorget, or knife, used in cutting for stone in the bladder.
-
(countable, uncountable) An establishment of officers in various departments attached to an army, to a section of an army, or to the commander of an army. The general's staff consists of those officers about his person who are employed in carrying his commands into execution.
At the head of that division which had Westminster Bridge for its approach to the scene of action, Lord George Gordon took his post; with Gashford at his right hand, and sundry ruffians, of most unpromising appearance, forming a kind of staff about him.
1841 February–November, Charles Dickens, “Barnaby Rudge. Chapter 49.”, in Master Humphrey’s Clock, volume III, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 217:
-
(archaic, countable, uncountable) A form of token once used, in combination with a ticket, for safe train movements between two points on a single line.
The unusual rolling stock, the fare collection methods, and the exchange of train staffs make it quite clear that here is something out of the ordinary run of suburban electric lines.
1951 November, R. K. Kirkland, “The Wimbledon and West Croydon Line of the Southern Region”, in Railway Magazine, page 726:The first up train was the morning semi-fast ex Buncrana, which sped through with No. 8 at its head, adroitly exchanging staffs at about 15 m.p.h. […] The next train through Tooban was our opposite number, and we duly received the vital staff.
1949 November and December, K. Longbottom, “By Goods Train to Gweedore”, in Railway Magazine, page 355:The train-staff and ticket system was used widely at one time, until superseded by electrical token systems, the first of which, the tablet system, appeared in 1878, […].
1946 July and August, “Wise's Train Staff”, in Railway Magazine, page 214:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| staff | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| staves | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| staffs | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
dogs have masters, cats have staff · orange staff sergeant · flagstaff · acre-staff · cowl-staff · palmer's staff · constaff · staff vine · half-staff · Jedburgh staff · centurion's staff · barstaff · ground staff · staff system · staff up · quarterstaff · Aesculapian staff · cantoral staff · Jupiter's staff · airstaff · groundstaff · staffless · wring-staff · verge staff · pikestaff · staff corps · almucantar staff · dogs have owners, cats have staff · Jeddart staff · air staff · speaker's staff · jackstaff · grand staff · broomstaff · tipstaff · destaff · chief of staff · staff college · backroom staff · completed staff work · churn-staff · handstaff · member of staff · nonstaff · half staff · staff angle · treble staff · forestaff · jack-staff · staff officer · station staff · doorstaff · ragged staff · staffer · waiting staff · Jacob's staff · staff captain · short-staff · offset staff · vine staff · staffwide · staff sergeant · level staff · plowstaff · wait staff · cross-staff · whipstaff · skeleton staff · staff function · flag-staff · staff surgeon · ploughstaff · bookstaff · leveling staff · bedstaff · staffman · cowlstaff · staffroom · staff tree · cleystaff · staff sling · tau staff · staff of Asclepius · general staff · paddle-staff · staff of life · set up one's staff · pilgrim's staff · verge-staff · packstaff · vine-staff · staff sergeant major · flag staff · levelling staff · staffaculty · staff nurse · waitstaff · Longstaff · bass staff · Mercury's staff
Descendants
staff · estafe · 스태프 · stafe · スタッフ · staff · staff · staff · staf
Relateds
baton · truncheon · stick · rod · cudgel · club · bludgeon · cane
Synonyms
personnel (employees) · stave · stick (piece of wood)
Translations (231)
sv rad (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · hu rúd (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · is starfsfólk (employees of a business) · eu pentagrama (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · ka პერსონალი (employees of a business) · la scīpiō (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · grc βακτηρία (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · hy ցուպ (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · sk palica (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ja 関係者 (employees of a business) · io bastono (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ja 従業員 (employees of a business) · ml ജീവനക്കാരൻ (employees of a business) · no personale (employees of a business) · th พนักงาน (employees of a business) · ru штаб (military: establishment of officers) · tr çomak (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ru штат (employees of a business) · ceb sungkod (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · da stav (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ru жезл (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · gd cliabh (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · nl staf (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ja 棒 (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ko 인원 (employees of a business) · hu kottavonal (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · cmn 人員 /人员 (employees of a business) · nb stav (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · es pauta (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · it bastone (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · eo bastono (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · da personale (employees of a business) · jv tongkat (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · uk ка́дри (employees of a business) · ja 五線 (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · eo oficistaro (employees of a business) · ota دگنك (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · tr baston (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · fr bâton (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · fr personnel (employees of a business) · hu vezérkar (military: establishment of officers) · tr asa (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ota عصا (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · pl laska (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · pt pessoal (employees of a business) · eu haga (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · de Stab (employees of a business) · es plantel (employees of a business) · es plantilla (employees of a business) · es varas (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · el ραβδί (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · be штат (employees of a business) · mg tehina (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · mi tārawa (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · nl balk (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · sv personal (employees of a business) · hy շտաբ (military: establishment of officers) · cy staff (employees of a business) · th ตะพด (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · af balk (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · ko 직원 (employees of a business) · he מטה (military: establishment of officers) · cs osnova (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · uk персона́л (employees of a business) · de Stab (military: establishment of officers) · ota صیریق (pole upon which a flag is supported — see also flagpole) · ko 스태프 (employees of a business) · be ка́дры (employees of a business) · sk bakuľa (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · cs štáb (military: establishment of officers) · hy ձեռնափայտ (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · he סֶגֶל (employees of a business) · fi akseli (engineering: arbor) · be персана́л (employees of a business) · ru персона́л (employees of a business) · it personale (employees of a business) · tl kalupunan (employees of a business) · gl caxato (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · bg петоли́ние (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · pl sztab (military: establishment of officers) · da stang (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · el ράβδος (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · mi huakau (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · mk стап (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · no stav (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · it organico (employees of a business) · mk кадар (employees of a business) · sh особље (employees of a business) · ru ка́дры (employees of a business) · ko 보표 (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · id paranada (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · vi nhân viên (employees of a business) · de Belegschaft (employees of a business) · sk personál (employees of a business) · la baculum (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ru па́лка (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · hy գավազան (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · nl notenbalk (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · fi kuitukipsi (mixture of plaster and fibre) · es plana mayor (military: establishment of officers) · de Personal (employees of a business) · ar طَاقِم (employees of a business) · mk петолиние (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · ga foireann (employees of a business) · hu bot (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · fr canne (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ro personal (employees of a business) · he מַטֶּה (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · egy ti-sw-w-xt (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · el προσωπικό (employees of a business) · uk штаб (military: establishment of officers) · ja 杖 (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · sh štȃp (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · bg щаб (military: establishment of officers) · pt pauta (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · fa کادر (employees of a business) · ca bastó (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · nb ansatte (employees of a business) · cmn 棒 (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ja スタッフ (employees of a business) · be штаб (military: establishment of officers) · ka კვერთხი (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · fi henkilökunta (employees of a business) · cmn 員工 /员工 (employees of a business) · fr portée (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · uk штат (employees of a business) · mi titipou (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · tr personel (employees of a business) · fi henkilöstö (employees of a business) · fa پرسنل (employees of a business) · de Mitarbeiter (employees of a business) · ga liúr (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ru по́сох (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ccc chaskolo (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · fi salko (pole upon which a flag is supported — see also flagpole) · ca staff (employees of a business) · ja 譜表 (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · sh osoblje (employees of a business) · myv мандо (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · cy staff (military: establishment of officers) · es empleados (employees of a business) · fi nuottiviivasto (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · he מַקֵּל (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · gl bastón (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · km បុគ្គលិក (employees of a business) · id tongkat (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · da stab (employees of a business) · pt stafe (employees of a business) · it pentagramma (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · it rigo (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · es pentagrama (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · vi khuông nhạc (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · pt cajado (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · pl personel (employees of a business) · ru но́тный стан (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · gl pentagrama (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · ms tongkat (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · fi esikunta (military: establishment of officers) · mk персона́л (employees of a business) · az əməkdaşlar (employees of a business) · ko 막대 (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · cmn 桿 /杆 (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · eu pertsonal (employees of a business) · de Stab (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · cmn 譜表 /谱表 (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · gl bordón (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · nl medewerkers (employees of a business) · pl pracownicy (employees of a business) · eo dungitaro (employees of a business) · el επιτελείο (employees of a business) · fi sauva (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ca plantilla (employees of a business) · ca pentagrama (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · pl kij (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · eo notliniaro (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · sv notrad (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · bg персона́л (employees of a business) · enm staf (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · sv stav (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · cs personál (employees of a business) · lo ພະນັກງານ (employees of a business) · el πεντάγραμμο (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · oc baston (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · gl persoal (employees of a business) · ka შტატი (employees of a business) · sh шта̑п (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · vo pösodef (employees of a business) · nl personeel (employees of a business) · es trabajadores (employees of a business) · es báculo (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · cs tyč (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ar طَاقَم (employees of a business) · it asta (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · sw fimbo (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · fi sauva (pole, stick, or wand borne as an ensign of authority) · es bastón (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · gd bata (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · mi turupou (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ms kakitangan (employees of a business) · cs hůl (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · bg тоя́га (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · cmn 工作人員 /工作人员 (employees of a business) · ja 職員 (employees of a business) · oc portada (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · zu induku (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ka ჯოხი (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · fa عصا (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · el επιτελείο (military: establishment of officers) · de Notenlinien (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · eo stabo (employees of a business) · ko 막대기 (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · bg щат (employees of a business) · hu törzskar (military: establishment of officers) · ko 종업원 (employees of a business) · hy անձնակազմ (employees of a business) · ug خىزمەتچى (employees of a business) · es staff (employees of a business) · pt staff (employees of a business) · cmn 杖 (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · ro portativ (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · hu személyzet (employees of a business) · pt estafe (employees of a business) · sk žrď (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · pt bastão (pole, stick, or wand borne as an ensign of authority) · pt estafe (mixture of plaster and fibre) · ota كوندر (pole upon which a flag is supported — see also flagpole) · kaw tĕkĕn (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · pl pięciolinia (music: horizontal lines on which notes are written) · mg langilangy (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking) · sl osebje (employees of a business) · enm potent (long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking)