Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense staffs, present participle staffing, past tense, past participle staffed
1. countable noun [with singular or plural verb]
The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
The staff were very good.
The outpatient program has a staff of six people.
He thanked his staff.
...members of staff.
Many employers seek diversity in their staffs.
Synonyms: workers, employees, personnel, workforce More Synonyms of staff
2. See also Chief of Staff
3. plural noun
People who are part of a particular staff are often referred to as staff.
10 staff were allocated to the task.
He had the complete support of hospital staff.
4. verb [usually passive]
If an organization is staffedby particular people, they are the people who work for it.
They are staffed by volunteers. [beV-ed + by/with]
The center is staffed with highly trained physicians. [beV-ed by/with n]
The centre is staffed at all times. [beVERB-ed]
Some have regular clinics staffed by nursing officers. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: man, work, operate, crew More Synonyms of staff
staffedadjective [adverb ADJECTIVE]
The house allocated to them was pleasant and spacious, and well-staffed.
...poorly staffed hotels.
5. See also short-staffed
6. countable noun
A staff is a strong stick or pole.
7.
A staff is the five lines that music is written on.
[US]regional note: in BRIT, use stave
More Synonyms of staff
staff in British English1
(stɑːf)
nounWord forms: plural for senses 1,3,4staffsWord forms: plural for senses 5-9staffs or staves (steɪvz)
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. mainly British
a graduated rod used in surveying, esp for sighting to with a levelling instrument
Usual US name: rod
9. Also called: stave music
a.
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
b.
any set of five lines in this system together with its clef
the treble staff
verb
10. (transitive)
to provide with a staff
Word origin
Old English stæf; related to Old Frisian stef, Old Saxon staf, German Stab, Old Norse stafr, Gothic Stafs; see stave
staff in British English2
(stɑːf)
noun
US
a mixture of plaster and hair used to cover the external surface of temporary structures and for decoration
Word origin
C19: of unknown origin
staff in American English1
(stæf; stɑf)
nounWord forms: pluralstaffs or staves
1.
a stick, rod, or pole
; specif.,
a.
a stick used as a support in walking
b.
a pole or club used as a weapon
c.
a pole for supporting a banner or flag
d.
a rod, wand, crosier, etc. used as a symbol of authority
e. Archaic
a shaft, as of a lance
f.
any of several graduated sticks or rules used for measuring, as in surveying
2.
a group of people assisting a chief, manager, president, or other leader
3.
a group of officers serving a military or naval commanding officer in an advisory and administrative capacity without combat duties or command
4.
a specific group of workers or employees
a teaching staff, newspaper staff, maintenance staff
5. Music
the horizontal lines on and between which notes are written or printed: the placement of a note on the staff indicates its pitch
adjective
6.
of, by, for, or on a staff; specif., employed full-time, as on a magazine staff, rather than as a freelance writer
verb transitive
7.
to provide with a staff, as of workers
Word origin
ME staf < OE stæf, akin to Ger stab, < IE base *steb(h)-, post, pole > stem1, stamp
staff in American English2
(stæf; stɑf)
US
noun
a building material of plaster and fiber, used for temporary decorative work
Word origin
< Ger staffieren, to fill out, decorate; via Du < OFr estoffe, stuff
COBUILD Collocations
staff
additional staff
administrative staff
enough staff
experienced staff
friendly staff
full-time staff
junior staff
knowledgeable staff
loyal staff
permanent staff
qualified staff
senior staff
skilled staff
temporary staff
Examples of 'staff' in a sentence
staff
The oldest staff maintained discipline often just with the raising of an eyebrow and rarely shouted.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Staff use computers to assess how sick people are but staff numbers plummet after hours.
The Sun (2013)
Or a management executive whose staff are being squeezed in the credit crunch.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
How are they to recruit a new staff and train them without a veteran available to assist?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The club have not been able to pay their players and staff for the past month.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
They warned that safety was at risk because of a lack of trained staff willing to cover.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There were claims we had too many management and backroom staff.
The Sun (2014)
This example did more for the nursing staff than any number of lectures.
Siegel, Bernie S. (MD) Love, Medicine and Miracles (1990)
Their official wages were not that far divorced from those of clerical staff.
Leo McKinstry Sir Alf: A Major Reappraisal of the Life and Times of England's Greatest FootballManager (2006)
Victims also alleged that members of hospital staff were complicit in the abuse.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He had a staff of six salespeople working for him.
Hambly, Dr Kenneth Banish Anxiety - how to stop worrying and take charge of your life (1991)
Salaries were so low that two senior staff members had left.
Susie Gilbert and Jay Shir A TALE OF FOUR HOUSES: Opera at Covent Garden, La Scala, Vienna and the Met since1945 (2003)
The auction staff can also explain the bidding process.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
They struggle on shoestring grants and the boundless goodwill of volunteers and poorly paid staff.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Three years ago half of call centre staff left each year.
The Sun (2010)
Staff can join company netball or running teams and fortnightly massages are available.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He said he was watching as part of the staff!
The Sun (2012)
We must make good staff hires in the church.
Christianity Today (2000)
The second is that the sector employs staff with skills that are not easy to find.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Doctors and nurses are more likely to turn up than technical and support staff.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Shop staff are often set targets on warranty sales.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Staff told people trying to get in to go away.
The Sun (2013)
One in five staff said their job had taken priority over their personal life in the past year.
The Sun (2009)
He claims sales staff were told not to sell Autonomy software.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We have had six times the normal number of dealing staff working and will keep working flat out until our normal fluent service is restored.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
staff
British English: staff /stɑːf/ NOUN
personnel The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
The staff were very good.
American English: staff workers
Arabic: مَجْمُوعَةُ الـعَامِلِيـن
Brazilian Portuguese: quadro de funcionários
Chinese: 工作人员
Croatian: osoblje
Czech: personál
Danish: personale
Dutch: personeel
European Spanish: plantilla
Finnish: sauva
French: personnel
German: Personal
Greek: προσωπικό
Italian: bastone
Japanese: 職員 workers
Korean: 직원
Norwegian: stang
Polish: personel
European Portuguese: quadro de funcionários
Romanian: staff
Russian: персонал
Latin American Spanish: bastón
Swedish: stav
Thai: พนักงาน
Turkish: personel asa
Ukrainian: персонал
Vietnamese: cột cọc
British English: staff /stɑːf/ NOUN
stick A staff is a stout rod or stick.
American English: staff stick or rod
Arabic: عَصَا
Brazilian Portuguese: bastão
Chinese: 杆
Croatian: štap
Czech: hůl
Danish: stav
Dutch: stok
European Spanish: bastón
Finnish: henkilökunta
French: bâton travailleurs
German: Personal
Greek: προσωπικό
Italian: personale dipendenti
Japanese: 棒 stick or rod
Korean: 지팡이
Norwegian: stab
Polish: pałka
European Portuguese: bastão
Romanian: baston
Russian: палка
Latin American Spanish: personal empleados
Swedish: personal
Thai: ไม้ค้ำ เสาค้ำ ไม้เท้า
Turkish: sopa
Ukrainian: палиця
Vietnamese: nhân viên
All related terms of 'staff'
half-staff
→ half-mast
hotel staff
the people who work in a hotel
level staff
a graduated rod that is used to determine differences in elevation
loyal staff
The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
staff bonus
A bonus is an extra amount of money that is added to someone's pay, usually because they have worked very hard.
staff nurse
A staff nurse is a hospital nurse whose rank is just below that of a sister or charge nurse.
staff-tree
any of a genus ( Celastrus ) of shrubby , usually climbing , plants of the staff-tree family, growing in Asia, Australia , and North America, including bittersweet
staff wages
Someone's wages are the amount of money that is regularly paid to them for the work that they do.
counter staff
people who work behind the counter of a bank , post office, etc
enough staff
The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
general staff
officers assigned to advise commanders in the planning and execution of military operations
ground staff
The people who are paid to maintain a sports ground are called the ground staff .
Jacob's staff
a medieval instrument for measuring heights and distances
junior staff
The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
senior staff
The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
skilled staff
The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
special staff
all staff officers assigned to headquarters of a division or higher unit who are not members of the general staff or personal staff
staff canteen
a canteen or cafeteria in a company, establishment , etc, for members of staff to eat at
staff college
a training centre for executive military personnel
staff meeting
a meeting attended by the members of staff of a company, school, etc, to discuss issues relating to the running of the company, school, etc
staff officer
In the army and air force, a staff officer is an officer who works for a commander or in the headquarters.
domestic staff
household servants
friendly staff
The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
levelling staff
a graduated rod that is used to determine differences in elevation
pastoral staff
of, characterized by, or depicting rural life, scenery , etc
permanent staff
The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
personal staff
the aides of a general officer or a flag officer
qualified staff
The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
skeleton staff
the minimum staff needed by a company during a time where most staff do not normally work, such as a holiday , weekend , etc
staff corporal
a noncommissioned rank in the British Army above that of staff sergeant and below that of warrant officer
staff discount
a discount off goods sold by a particular shop , given to members of staff of that shop
staff salaries
A salary is the money that someone is paid each month by their employer , especially when they are in a profession such as teaching , law, or medicine .
staff sergeant
A staff sergeant is a person of middle rank in the British army or the United States army, marines, or air force.
staff shortages
If there is a shortage of something, there is not enough of it.
staff training
training to improve the performance or knowledge of the employees or workforce or a company, etc
teaching staff
those members of staff in a school, college, or university who teach
telesales staff
the members of a company's staff that deal with telesales
temporary staff
The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
additional staff
The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
Chief of Staff
The Chiefs of Staff are the most senior officers in each service of the armed forces.
experienced staff
The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
headquarters staff
the people who work at the headquarters of an organization
managerial staff
staff in positions of management
nonteaching staff
employees within an academic or vocational environment whose jobs do not involve teaching
staff association
an association of employees that performs some of the functions of a trade union, such as representing its members in discussions with the management , and may also have other social and professional purposes
staff of life
bread , regarded as the basic food
administrative staff
The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
full-time staff
The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
knowledgeable staff
The staff of an organization are the people who work for it.
member of staff
an employee of a particular organization
Chinese translation of 'staff'
staff
(stɑːf)
n(c)
(= workforce) 职(職)员(員) (zhíyuán) (名, míng)
⇒ an error by one of his staff他的一名职员犯的过失 (tā de yī míng zhíyuán fàn de guòshī)
(liter, = stick) 棍棒 (gùnbàng) (根, gēn)
vt
为(為) ... 配备(備)职(職)员(員) (wèi ... pèibèi zhíyuán)
⇒ It was staffed by engineers.为其配备了工程师。 (Wèi qí pèibèile gōngchéngshī.)
1 (noun)
Definition
the people employed in a company, school, or organization
The staff were very good.
Synonyms
workers
employees
personnel
changes in personnel within the company
workforce
a country where half the workforce is unemployed
team
organization
2 (noun)
Definition
a stick with some special use, such as a walking stick or an emblem of authority
We carried a staff that was notched at various lengths.
Synonyms
stick
Crowds armed with sticks and stones took to the streets.
pole
The sign hung at the top of a large pole.
rod
reinforced with steel rods
prop
crook
cane
stave
wand
a magician's wand
sceptre
(verb)
Definition
to provide (a company, school, or organization) with a staff
They are staffed by volunteers.
Synonyms
man
Soldiers manned roadblocks in the city.
work
I learnt how to work the forklift.
operate
The machine operates at a pace of just 2 miles per hour.
crew
people
Additional synonyms
in the sense of operate
Definition
to work
The machine operates at a pace of just 2 miles per hour.
Synonyms
work,
go,
run,
perform,
function
in the sense of personnel
Definition
the people employed in an organization or for a service
changes in personnel within the company
Synonyms
employees,
people,
members,
staff,
workers,
men and women,
workforce,
human resources,
helpers,
liveware
in the sense of pole
Definition
a long slender rounded piece of wood, metal, or other material
The sign hung at the top of a large pole.
Synonyms
rod,
post,
support,
staff,
standard,
bar,
stick,
stake,
paling,
shaft,
upright,
pillar,
mast,
picket,
spar,
stave
Synonyms of 'staff'
staff
Explore 'staff' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of rod
Definition
a thin straight pole made of wood or metal
reinforced with steel rods
Synonyms
stick,
bar,
pole,
shaft,
switch,
crook,
cane,
birch,
dowel
in the sense of wand
Definition
a rod used by a magician when performing a trick or by a fairy when casting a spell