Displacement
/dɪsˈpleɪsmənt/
Definitions
4 meaningsThe act of removing someone or something from its place or position, often forcibly or against their will.
/dɪsˈpleɪsmənt/
The act of forcing someone or something to move from their usual place or position.
The government's urban renewal project caused the displacement of many low-income families.
💡 Simply: Imagine your favorite toy is moved from your bedroom to the living room. That's displacement! It's when something gets moved from where it belongs. It could be a person, a thing, or even your feelings.
👶 For kids: Moving something from where it was.
More Examples
The displacement of the valve allowed the fluid to flow.
He felt a sense of emotional displacement after moving to a new country.
How It's Used
"The displacement of rural populations to urban centers has led to significant social changes."
"The displacement of water by the ship determines its buoyancy."
"Displacement is a defense mechanism where emotions are redirected to a safer target."
The volume of fluid that is moved by an object when it is submerged in that fluid; or the volume of a physical object.
/dɪsˈpleɪsmənt/
The amount of space that something displaces when it is submerged in a fluid.
The ship's displacement was measured in tons.
💡 Simply: Imagine you put a toy in a bathtub filled with water. The water level rises a little bit, right? That's the 'displacement' of the water by the toy. It's how much space the toy takes up.
👶 For kids: How much space something takes up when it is in water.
More Examples
The displacement of water by the submarine was significant.
They calculated the volume of the object by measuring water displacement.
How It's Used
"The displacement of the object in the water allowed us to calculate its density."
"The ship's displacement is a key factor in its stability."
A vector representing the change in position of an object.
/dɪsˈpleɪsmənt/
In physics, the vector representing the change in position of an object.
The displacement of the object was calculated using the formula.
💡 Simply: Imagine you are walking. The displacement is how far you ended up from where you started. It's a measurement of how much you've moved and in which direction.
👶 For kids: How far something has moved.
More Examples
Understanding the concept of displacement is crucial in physics.
The displacement is a vector quantity, having both magnitude and direction.
How It's Used
"The displacement of the object from its starting point was 10 meters."
A defense mechanism in which a person redirects a strong emotion from a threatening target to a less threatening one.
/dɪsˈpleɪsmənt/
In psychology, the redirection of an emotion from its original object or situation to a more acceptable one.
Displacement is a common defense mechanism.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're upset at your teacher, but you can't yell at them, so you end up being grumpy with your siblings. That's displacement! It's when you take out your feelings on someone or something else.
👶 For kids: Taking your bad feelings out on someone or something that isn't the reason you feel bad.
More Examples
The therapist explored the patient's use of displacement.
His feelings of frustration toward his father were often displaced onto his friends.
How It's Used
"Her anger at her boss was expressed as irritation towards her colleagues, a classic example of displacement."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms
From Middle English *displacemen*, from Old French *desplacier* ('to displace'), from *des-* (dis-) + *placier* ('to place'), from Latin *placere* ('to please, to be placed').
The term has been used since the 14th century, initially referring to the act of moving something from its original place.
Memory tip
Think of *dis-place-ment*: removing something from its *place*.
Word Origin
"to move from one place to another"