stapler

UK: ˈsteɪplə | US: ˈsteɪplər

Definition
  1. n. a device used to fasten sheets of paper together with staples

  2. n. (historical) a merchant who trades in staple goods

Structure
staple <fastener>er <noun suffix (agent)>
Etymology

The word "stapler" combines "staple," derived from Old English stapol (post, pillar), which evolved to mean a U-shaped metal fastener in the 14th century, and the agent suffix "-er." Originally, "stapler" referred to a merchant dealing in staple commodities (e.g., wool). By the 19th century, it shifted to describe the tool that inserts staples, reflecting industrialization's impact on language.

Examples
  1. She used a stapler to bind the report pages.

  2. The office manager ordered a new stapler.

  3. His antique stapler collection includes models from the 1920s.

  4. The stapler jammed after inserting too many sheets.

  5. In medieval times, a stapler was a key figure in the wool trade.