Staffs
/stæfs/noun
Plural of staff, meaning several long sticks or a group of employees.
Did you know?In medieval and older English, a staff could be a literal support, a symbol of power, or even a poetic stand-in for authority and office—so the word has long carried both physical and magical weight.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*stebh-
“to support, stiffen, or place firmly”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*stabaz
“stalk, stem, post, or rod”
Old English
OE
stæf
“a rod, stick, letter of the alphabet”
Middle English
ME
staff
“a stick or rod; also a support or symbol of authority”
Modern English
English
staffs
“plural of staff; sticks, rods, or employees”