displace
UK: dɪsˈpleɪs | US: dɪsˈpleɪs
vt. to force someone or something out of its usual or original position
vt. to take the place of something or someone
vt. (physics) to move an object from its initial position
The word "displace" combines the prefix "dis-" (from Latin, meaning "apart" or "away") with the root "place" (from Latin "platea," meaning "broad street" or "space"). The prefix "dis-" often implies negation or reversal, while "place" refers to a specific location. Together, they form a verb meaning "to move something away from its original position" or "to supplant." The term evolved in Middle English, influenced by Old French "desplacer," and has retained its core meaning of spatial or positional change.
The construction project will displace hundreds of residents.
Digital media has displaced traditional newspapers in many markets.
The earthquake displaced several large boulders.
She felt displaced in her new school.
The new policy could displace older methods of production.