Where does “unstaple” come from?

unstaple (English) comes from English staple, from Middle English staple, from Old French estaple, from Dutch stapel, from Middle Dutch stapel, from Old Dutch stapal, from Old Swedish stapul, from Proto-Germanic stapulaz — to stand still.

unstaple (English): to remove staples from

Definitions

  1. to remove staples from

Ancestry of “unstaple”, step by step

unstaple traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English staple

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstapleA town containing merchants who have exclusive...
2Middle Englishstaplestaple; Alternative form of stapel
3Old Frenchestaplemarketplace
4Dutchstapelpile; basis, foundation, pedestal; stockpile,...
5Middle Dutchstapelpillar; foundation; market; warehouse; market
6Old Dutchstapal
7Old Swedishstapul
8Proto-Germanicstapulazpillar, post; basis, foundation
9Proto-Indo-Europeanstebʰ‑to stand still

via English un

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishunOne
Every word from Proto-Indo-European stebʰ‑Every word from Proto-Germanic stapulazEvery word from Old Swedish stapul