staff of life

noun phrase

: a staple of diet
especially : bread

Examples of staff of life in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
In fact, acorns were the staff of life for many of the indigenous people in California for millennia, says author and ethnobotanist Kat Anderson. Dawn Starin, Scientific American, 16 May 2014

Word History

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of staff of life was in 1607

Dictionary Entries Near staff of life

Cite this Entry

“Staff of life.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/staff%20of%20life. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

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