flagstaff

UK: /ˈflægstɑːf/ US: (flag′staf′, -stäf′)

Inflections of 'flagstaff' (n):

flagstaves

npl

flagstaffs

npl

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

flag•staff  (flag′staf′, -stäf′), n., pl. -staves, -staffs. 

1. flagpole.

• flag¹ + staff¹ 1605–15

Flag•staff  (flag′staf′, -stäf′), n. 

1. Place Names a city in central Arizona. 34,641. ab. 6900 ft. (2100 m) high.

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

flag•pole /ˈflægˌpoʊl/   n. [countable]

1. a staff or pole on which a flag is displayed.

Idioms

2. Idioms run (something) up the flagpole, [ run + obj + up + the + ~] to announce (a proposal or idea) as a test to gauge reactions:
   Let's run the plan up the flagpole and see if the boss likes it.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

flag•pole  (flag′pōl′), n. 

1. a staff or pole on which a flag is or can be displayed. Also called flagstaff. 

• flag¹ + pole¹ 1880–85

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

flagpole / ˈflæɡˌpəʊl/, flagstaff / ˈflæɡˌstɑːf/ noun ( -poles, -staffs, -staves / -ˌsteɪvz/)

1. a pole or staff on which a flag is hoisted and displayed