If you have ever needed to use the plural form of staff and wondered what it is, you have come to the right place. This article will teach you what a staff is, the plural form of the word, the history and origin, synonyms, and examples of the word in context.
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the horizontal lines with their spaces on which music is written – called also stave
any of various graduated sticks or rules used for measuring : ROD
A staff is most commonly known as a long walking stick. When you hear staff you might think of a shepherd and a symbolic manger scene. Many people use them when hiking rough terrain which helps give them something to balance them, support them, and they often have a spike on the end which digs into the dirt creating leverage. The kind used by shepherds usually have some form of hook on the end used to steer sheep or cattle in the direction they want them to go.
What Is the Plural Form of Staff?
The plural form of staff follows the typical rules of American English by simply adding an “s” to the end making it staffs. Making staff plural though actually changes the meaning of the word as a collective noun. Here are the new definitions for staffs:
a group of people chiefly responsible for the internal operations of an institution or business
a group of military officers appointed to assist a civil executive or commanding officer
military or naval officers not eligible for operational command, ex. the general’s staff
the personnel who assist a director in carrying out an assigned task, ex. hospital staff
plural staff: a member of the staff
employs three full-time staff, chief of staff, the entire staff, etc.
If you want to refer to many walking sticks you would use the plural staves. For example: these staves are for sale.
The History and Origin of the Word
The word staff originally comes from Old English and German roots. The root words are Old English stæf of stab walking stick or a rod used as a weapon. The Middle English was staf. The Dutch also used the word from its root stebh meaning post, to support, to place firmly on. In the 1600s the word staff was used to describe a flagpole and in the 1700s we see it used to describe military officers from the German word “batton” meaning staff-sergeant.
Synonyms to Staff
Force- strength or energy exerted or brought to bear : cause of motion or change : active power
Players, coaches and many support staff are tested every day through the end of August, in accordance with an agreement reached between the league and the NFL Players Association.
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The English language can be a tricky thing since it is a compilation of many other languages. Finding the correct plural forms of words is an important step to becoming well educated. Now you are an expert on all things regarding Staves.
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.