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dis·place·ment (dĭs-plāsmənt)
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n.
1.
a. The act of displacing.
b. The condition of having been displaced.
2. Chemistry A reaction in which an atom, radical, ion, or molecule replaces another in a compound.
3. Physics
a. A vector or the magnitude of a vector from the initial position to a subsequent position assumed by a body.
b. The weight or volume of a fluid displaced by a floating body, used especially as a measurement of the weight or bulk of ships.
4. The volume displaced by a single stroke of a piston in an engine or pump.
5. Geology
a. The relative movement between the two sides of a fault.
b. The distance between the two sides of a fault. Also called dislocation.
6. Psychiatry A psychological defense mechanism in which there is an unconscious shift of emotions, affect, or desires from the original object to a more acceptable or immediate substitute.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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