display

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /dɪsˈpleɪ/ See IPA manual

Freq #4748

Meanings

1

verb
To show something clearly so that people can see it.

The museum displays paintings from all over the world.
2

verb
To show a feeling, quality, or skill through your behaviour.

She displayed great courage during the emergency.
3

noun
An arrangement of objects shown to the public.

There was a beautiful display of flowers in the shop window.
4

noun
A performance or show meant to entertain or impress.

The trapeze artists put on an amazing acrobatic display.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

3 noun · an arrangement of objects... show

Word family

Forms displayeddisplayingdisplays

Related forms characterscrtcursor digits graphics monitor screenvdu

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

firework display
an arranged show of fireworks

Noun + noun
on display
placed where people can look at it

Preposition + noun

Simplified etymology

Display entered Middle English through Old French from Latin displicare “scatter, disperse,” which came to mean “unfold” in medieval Latin. Its early English sense was “unfurl a banner or sail”; this developed into “show” in late Middle English and “make a show of” in the early 17th century.

Etymology

From Middle English displayen, from Anglo-Norman despleier and Old French despleier, desploiier, from Medieval Latin displicare (“to unfold, display”), from Latin dis- (“apart”) + plicāre (“to fold”). Doublet of deploy.

*pleḱ- Proto-Indo-European displayen Middle English despleier Old French displicare la-med dis- Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# display

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /dɪsˈpleɪ/
**Frequency rank:** 4748

## Meanings
1. To show something clearly so that people can see it.
2. To show a feeling, quality, or skill through your behaviour.
3. An arrangement of objects shown to the public.
4. A performance or show meant to entertain or impress.

## Examples
- The museum displays paintings from all over the world.
- She displayed great courage during the emergency.
- There was a beautiful display of flowers in the shop window.
- The trapeze artists put on an amazing acrobatic display.

## Related Forms
- characters
- crt
- cursor
- digits
- graphics
- monitor
- screen
- vdu

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *pleḱ-
- Root: displayen
- Root: despleier
- Root: displicare
- Root: dis-

## Etymology
From Middle English displayen, from Anglo-Norman despleier and Old French despleier, desploiier, from Medieval Latin displicare (“to unfold, display”), from Latin dis- (“apart”) + plicāre (“to fold”). Doublet of deploy.

## AI Etymology
Display comes from Middle English displayen, from Anglo-Norman despleier and Old French despleier, desploiier, from Medieval Latin displicare (“to unfold, display”), from Latin dis- (“apart”) + plicāre (“to fold”). Doublet of deploy. In current use, the main senses are “To show something clearly so that people can see it” and “To show a feeling, quality, or skill through your behaviour”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown