noun · verb · 22 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
stäf
/stɑːf/
Received-Pronunciation:[stɑːf]
Australian, New-Zealand:[stäːf]
Australian, New-Zealand:[stɐːf]
stăf
/stæf/
Canada, US:[stæf]
Canada, US:[stɛəf]
Canada, US:[steəf]
Ireland, Northern-England, Scotland:[staf]
Ireland, Northern-England, Scotland:[stäf]
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɑːf
rhymes with -æf
CMU ARPABET:S T AE1 F
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A long, straight, thick wooden rod or stick, especially one used to assist in walking.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Qualifier: plural staffs or staves
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A series of horizontal lines on which musical notes are written; a stave.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Qualifier: plural staffs or staves
Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
People employed by a business or other organisation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Qualifier: plural staff or staffs
Examples
The company employed 10 new members of staff this month.
The company has taken on 1600 more highly-paid staff.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A mixture of plaster and fibre used as a temporary exterior wall covering.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Topics: business, construction, manufacturing
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A pole, stick, or wand borne as an ensign of authority; a badge of office.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
a constable's staff
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A pole upon which a flag is supported and displayed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
The rung of a ladder.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
A series of verses so disposed that, when it is concluded, the same order begins again; a stanza; a stave.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
An arbor, as of a wheel or a pinion of a watch.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
The grooved director for the gorget, or knife, used in cutting for stone in the bladder.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: medicine, sciences, surgery
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
noun
Meaning 11
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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: government, military, politics, war
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
noun
Meaning 12
A form of token once used, in combination with a ticket, for safe train movements between two points on a single line.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, countable, uncountable
Topics: rail-transport, railways, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
noun
Meaning 13
Misspelling of staph.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, misspelling
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
verb
Meaning 14
To supply (a business, volunteer organization, etc.) with employees or staff members.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
15
noun
Meaning 15
a strong rod or stick with a specialized utilitarian purpose
the body of teachers and administrators at a school
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the dean addressed the letter to the entire staff of the university
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: faculty
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: body
19
noun
Meaning 19
personnel who assist their superior in carrying out an assigned task
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the hospital has an excellent nursing staff
the general relied on his staff to make routine decisions
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: force, personnel
Narrower terms: newsroom, office, office staff, research staff, sales staff, security staff, service staff, maintenance staff, general staff, headquarters staff
20
noun
Meaning 20
building material consisting of plaster and hair; used to cover external surfaces of temporary structure (as at an exposition) or for decoration
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: building material
21
verb
Meaning 21
provide with staff
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
This position is not always staffed
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: provide, supply, ply, cater
Narrower terms: man
22
verb
Meaning 22
serve on the staff of
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The two men staff the reception desk
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: serve
History
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.
Across languages
Translations
243 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
ցուպ
(cʻup)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Armenian:
ձեռնափայտ
(jeṙnapʻayt)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Armenian:
գավազան
(gavazan)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Basque:
haga
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Bulgarian:
тоя́га
(tojága)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Catalan:
bastó
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Cebuano:
sungkod
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Chamicuro:
chaskolo
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Chinese Mandarin:
桿 /杆
(gǎn)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Chinese Mandarin:
棒
(bàng)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Chinese Mandarin:
杖
(zhàng)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Czech:
hůl
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Czech:
tyč
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Danish:
stav
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Danish:
stang
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Dutch:
staf
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Egyptian:
ti-sw-w-xt
(tjsw)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Erzya:
мандо
(mando)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Esperanto:
bastono
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Finnish:
sauva
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
French:
bâton
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
French:
canne
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Galician:
caxato
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Galician:
bastón
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Galician:
bordón
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Georgian:
ჯოხი
(ǯoxi)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Georgian:
კვერთხი
(ḳvertxi)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
German:
Stab
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Greek:
ράβδος
(rávdos)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Greek:
ραβδί
(ravdí)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Ancient Greek:
βακτηρία
(baktēría)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Hebrew:
מַקֵּל
(makél)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Hebrew:
מַטֶּה
(maté)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Hungarian:
bot
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Hungarian:
rúd
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Ido:
bastono
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Indonesian:
tongkat
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Irish:
liúr
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Italian:
bastone
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Italian:
asta
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Japanese:
杖
(tsue)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Japanese:
棒
(bō)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Javanese:
tongkat
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Old Javanese:
tĕkĕn
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Korean:
막대기
(makdaegi)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Korean:
막대
(makdae)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Latin:
baculum
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Latin:
scīpiō
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Macedonian:
стап
(stap)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Malagasy:
langilangy
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Malagasy:
tehina
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Malay:
tongkat
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Māori:
turupou
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Māori:
huakau
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Māori:
titipou
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Middle English:
staf
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Middle English:
potent
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Norwegian:
stav
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Norwegian Bokmål:
stav
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Occitan:
baston
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Persian:
عصا
('asâ)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Polish:
laska
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Polish:
kij
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Portuguese:
cajado
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Russian:
по́сох
(pósox)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Russian:
па́лка
(pálka)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Russian:
жезл
(žezl)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Scottish Gaelic:
bata
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Serbo-Croatian:
шта̑п
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Serbo-Croatian:
štȃp
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Slovak:
palica
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Slovak:
žrď
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Slovak:
bakuľa
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Spanish:
bastón
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Spanish:
báculo
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Swahili:
fimbo
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Swedish:
stav
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Thai:
ตะพด
(dtà-pót)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Turkish:
baston
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Turkish:
asa
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Turkish:
çomak
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Ottoman Turkish:
دگنك
(değenek)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Ottoman Turkish:
عصا
(ʼasa)
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Zulu:
induku
— long, straight, thick rod or stick to assist in walking
Afrikaans:
balk
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Basque:
pentagrama
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Bulgarian:
петоли́ние
(petolínie)
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Catalan:
pentagrama
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Chinese Mandarin:
譜表 /谱表
(pǔbiǎo)
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Czech:
osnova
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Dutch:
balk
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Dutch:
notenbalk
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Esperanto:
notliniaro
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Finnish:
nuottiviivasto
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
French:
portée
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Galician:
pentagrama
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
German:
Notenlinien
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Greek:
πεντάγραμμο
(pentágrammo)
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Hungarian:
kottavonal
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Indonesian:
paranada
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Italian:
pentagramma
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Italian:
rigo
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Japanese:
譜表
(fuhyō)
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Japanese:
五線
(gosen)
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Korean:
보표
(bopyo)
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Macedonian:
петолиние
(petolinie)
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Māori:
tārawa
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Occitan:
portada
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Polish:
pięciolinia
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Portuguese:
pauta
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Romanian:
portativ
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Russian:
но́тный стан
(nótnyj stan)
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Scottish Gaelic:
cliabh
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Spanish:
varas
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Spanish:
pauta
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Spanish:
pentagrama
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Swedish:
rad
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Swedish:
notrad
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Vietnamese:
khuông nhạc
— music: horizontal lines on which notes are written
Arabic:
طَاقَم
(ṭāqam)
— employees of a business
Arabic:
طَاقِم
(ṭāqim)
— employees of a business
Armenian:
անձնակազմ
(anjnakazm)
— employees of a business
Azerbaijani:
əməkdaşlar
— employees of a business
Basque:
pertsonal
— employees of a business
Belarusian:
персана́л
(pjersanál)
— employees of a business
Belarusian:
ка́дры
(kádry)
— employees of a business
Belarusian:
штат
(štat)
— employees of a business
Bulgarian:
щат
(štat)
— employees of a business
Bulgarian:
персона́л
(personál)
— employees of a business
Catalan:
staff
— employees of a business
Catalan:
plantilla
— employees of a business
Chinese Mandarin:
員工 /员工
(yuángōng)
— employees of a business
Chinese Mandarin:
人員 /人员
(rényuán)
— employees of a business
Chinese Mandarin:
工作人員 /工作人员
(gōngzuò rényuán)
— employees of a business
Czech:
personál
— employees of a business
Danish:
stab
— employees of a business
Danish:
personale
— employees of a business
Dutch:
medewerkers
— employees of a business
Dutch:
personeel
— employees of a business
Esperanto:
stabo
— employees of a business
Esperanto:
oficistaro
— employees of a business
Esperanto:
dungitaro
— employees of a business
Finnish:
henkilöstö
— employees of a business
Finnish:
henkilökunta
— employees of a business
French:
personnel
— employees of a business
Galician:
persoal
— employees of a business
Georgian:
შტატი
(šṭaṭi)
— employees of a business
Georgian:
პერსონალი
(ṗersonali)
— employees of a business
German:
Belegschaft
— employees of a business
German:
Personal
— employees of a business
German:
Stab
— employees of a business
German:
Mitarbeiter
— employees of a business
Greek:
προσωπικό
(prosopikó)
— employees of a business
Greek:
επιτελείο
(epiteleío)
— employees of a business
Hebrew:
סֶגֶל
(ségel)
— employees of a business
Hungarian:
személyzet
— employees of a business
Icelandic:
starfsfólk
— employees of a business
Irish:
foireann
— employees of a business
Italian:
personale
— employees of a business
Italian:
organico
— employees of a business
Japanese:
従業員
(jūgyōin)
— employees of a business
Japanese:
職員
(shokuin)
— employees of a business
Japanese:
関係者
(kankeisha)
— employees of a business
Japanese:
スタッフ
(sutaffu)
— employees of a business
Khmer:
បុគ្គលិក
(bokkĕəʼlɨk)
— employees of a business
Korean:
인원
(inwon)
— employees of a business
Korean:
직원
(jigwon)
— employees of a business
Korean:
종업원
(jong'eobwon)
— employees of a business
Korean:
스태프
(seutaepeu)
— employees of a business
Lao:
ພະນັກງານ
(pha nak ngān)
— employees of a business
Macedonian:
персона́л
(personál)
— employees of a business
Macedonian:
кадар
(kadar)
— employees of a business
Malay:
kakitangan
— employees of a business
Malayalam:
ജീവനക്കാരൻ
(jīvanakkāraṉ)
— employees of a business
Norwegian:
personale
— employees of a business
Norwegian Bokmål:
ansatte
— employees of a business
Persian:
پرسنل
(personel)
— employees of a business
Persian:
کادر
(kâdr)
— employees of a business
Polish:
personel
— employees of a business
Polish:
pracownicy
— employees of a business
Portuguese:
pessoal
— employees of a business
Portuguese:
staff
— employees of a business
Portuguese:
stafe
— employees of a business
Portuguese:
estafe
— employees of a business
Romanian:
personal
— employees of a business
Russian:
персона́л
(personál)
— employees of a business
Russian:
ка́дры
(kádry)
— employees of a business
Russian:
штат
(štat)
— employees of a business
Serbo-Croatian:
особље
— employees of a business
Serbo-Croatian:
osoblje
— employees of a business
Slovak:
personál
— employees of a business
Slovene:
osebje
— employees of a business
Spanish:
empleados
— employees of a business
Spanish:
plantilla
— employees of a business
Spanish:
plantel
— employees of a business
Spanish:
staff
— employees of a business
Spanish:
trabajadores
— employees of a business
Swedish:
personal
— employees of a business
Tagalog:
kalupunan
— employees of a business
Thai:
พนักงาน
(pá-nák-ngaan)
— employees of a business
Turkish:
personel
— employees of a business
Ukrainian:
персона́л
(personál)
— employees of a business
Ukrainian:
ка́дри
(kádry)
— employees of a business
Ukrainian:
штат
(štat)
— employees of a business
Uyghur:
خىزمەتچى
(xizmetchi)
— employees of a business
Vietnamese:
nhân viên
— employees of a business
Volapük:
pösodef
— employees of a business
Welsh:
staff
— employees of a business
Finnish:
kuitukipsi
— mixture of plaster and fibre
Portuguese:
estafe
— mixture of plaster and fibre
Finnish:
sauva
— pole, stick, or wand borne as an ensign of authority
Portuguese:
bastão
— pole, stick, or wand borne as an ensign of authority
Finnish:
salko
— pole upon which a flag is supported — see also flagpole
Ottoman Turkish:
صیریق
(sırık)
— pole upon which a flag is supported — see also flagpole
Ottoman Turkish:
كوندر
(günder, gönder)
— pole upon which a flag is supported — see also flagpole
Finnish:
akseli
— engineering: arbor
Armenian:
շտաբ
(štab)
— military: establishment of officers
Belarusian:
штаб
(štab)
— military: establishment of officers
Bulgarian:
щаб
(štab)
— military: establishment of officers
Czech:
štáb
— military: establishment of officers
Finnish:
esikunta
— military: establishment of officers
German:
Stab
— military: establishment of officers
Greek:
επιτελείο
(epiteleío)
— military: establishment of officers
Hebrew:
מטה
(maté)
— military: establishment of officers
Hungarian:
vezérkar
— military: establishment of officers
Hungarian:
törzskar
— military: establishment of officers
Polish:
sztab
— military: establishment of officers
Russian:
штаб
(štab)
— military: establishment of officers
Spanish:
plana mayor
— military: establishment of officers
Ukrainian:
штаб
(štab)
— military: establishment of officers
Welsh:
staff
— military: establishment of officers
Bulgarian:
окомплектовам
(okomplektovam)
— to supply with employees
Czech:
najmout zaměstnance
— to supply with employees
Danish:
forsyne med personale
— to supply with employees
Finnish:
miehittää
— to supply with employees
French:
doter en personnel
— to supply with employees
Greek:
επανδρώνω
(epandróno)
— to supply with employees
Polish:
obsadzać pracownikami
— to supply with employees
Polish:
obsadzić pracownikami
— to supply with employees
