Staccato means to play short and detached. In fingerpicking, this is achieved by releasing pressure on a fretted note immediately after it is played. In music and TAB notation staccato is indicated by a dot placed above or below the note.
The following example introduces the C7 chord, using two different shapes:
C7
C7
The third finger deadens the fifth string.
In this example a staccato bass is achieved by using the third finger to play the 5th and 6th strings (i.e., alternating between the two given C7 chord shapes).
Pattern Seventeen*