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displacement
/ˌdɪsˈpleɪsmənt/
movement from one place to another
The earthquake caused the displacement of thousands of people.
The earthquake forced thousands of people to move from their homes.
general
The act of moving something from its original position or location.
The engineer calculated the displacement of the bridge during the earthquake.
The engineer determined how much the bridge moved during the earthquake.
Common in physics and engineering contexts.
Engineering
technical
The volume of fluid moved by a pump or other device.
The pump's displacement is measured in cubic centimeters.
The amount of fluid the pump moves is calculated in cubic centimeters.
Used in mechanical engineering to describe the volume of fluid displaced.
formal
The forced movement of people from their homes or communities, often due to conflict, disasters, or persecution.
The war led to the mass displacement of civilians.
The war caused many people to flee their homes.
Common in humanitarian and political contexts.
technical
In psychology, the transfer of emotions or desires from one object to another.
Freud's theory of displacement explains how emotions can be redirected.
Freud's theory describes how feelings can be shifted from one target to another.
Used in psychoanalytic theory.
Collocations
mass displacementlarge-scale movement of peoplefluid displacementvolume of fluid moved by a pumppsychological displacementtransfer of emotions in psychology
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Context Matters
The meaning of 'displacement' varies by field. Pay attention to the context to determine the correct usage.
Gold Rule
Technical vs. General Use
In engineering, 'displacement' often refers to fluid volume, while in general use, it means movement.
Word Origin
From Middle French 'désplacement', from 'dés-' (dis-) + 'placement' (placement).
Usage Notes
The word has multiple meanings depending on the context, including physical movement, fluid mechanics, and psychological concepts.
Word Breakdown
dis-
apart, away
prefix-place
position, location
root-ment
action or result
suffixEnglish Dictionary