Staves Meaning in English
word · lemma: stave
Definition
"Staves" is the plural of "stave" and can mean the curved wooden strips forming the sides of a barrel or cask, or the horizontal lines in a musical staff used for writing music.
Usage & Nuances
Formal or technical word. Common in specific fields: barrels (wine-making, coopering), and music theory (especially British English, where 'stave' is used for 'staff'). Not used in everyday conversation. Do not confuse with 'staffs'—an alternate plural for 'staff' (personnel or stick); in music, 'staves' is correct.
Example Sentences
The barrel is made of several wooden staves.
basic
She wrote the notes on two musical staves.
basic
The old cask had several broken staves.
basic
If you look closely, you’ll see the staves are all held together by metal hoops.
natural
Most choral scores use two staves—one for soprano/alto and one for tenor/bass.
natural
The cooper repaired the leaking barrel by replacing three of its staves.
natural