# displacement

/dɪsˈpɫeɪsmənt/ (US) · /dɪsplˈeɪsmənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/displacement
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. forced relocation

noun · CEFR B2

the act of forcing people or things to leave their usual place or home.

For teachers: the removal of someone or something from its usual or proper place, often referring to populations forced to flee due to conflict.

- The war led to the displacement of thousands of families from the border region.
- Economic shifts in the city centre have caused the gradual displacement of long-term residents by high-income professionals.

### 2. physics: distance and direction

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the distance and direction an object has moved from its starting point.

For teachers: a vector quantity representing the change in position of an object, defined by both magnitude and direction.

- The car drove ten miles, but its total displacement from the house was only two miles east.
- In classical mechanics, displacement is distinguished from distance by its requirement for a specific directional vector relative to the origin.

### 3. fluid volume

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

the amount of liquid that is pushed aside when an object is put into it.

For teachers: the volume or weight of a fluid displaced by a floating or submerged body, used to determine buoyancy or ship size.

- The ship has a displacement of over 50,000 tons when fully loaded.
- Archimedes' principle states that the buoyant force on an object is equal to the weight of the fluid displacement it causes.

### 4. psychology: shifting feelings

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

moving your feelings about one person or thing onto someone else.

For teachers: an unconscious defence mechanism where the mind redirects emotions from a dangerous or unacceptable target to a safe one.

- Shouting at his friend after a bad day at work was a clear case of displacement.
- The patient exhibited displacement by venting his frustrations with his employer onto the nursing staff during his recovery.

### 5. engine size

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the total volume of the cylinders in an engine.

For teachers: the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine in a single movement.

- The motorcycle has a small engine displacement, making it very fuel-efficient.
- High-performance sports cars often feature larger engine displacements to achieve greater torque and horsepower at lower RPMs.

### 6. linguistics: abstract reference

noun · CEFR C2 · Academic · Technical

the ability of language to talk about things that are not here or now.

For teachers: the capability of a communication system to refer to objects or events that are distant in time or space.

- Human language has displacement, allowing us to talk about the past and the future.
- Unlike most animal communication, human speech exhibits displacement, enabling the discussion of hypothetical scenarios and historical events.

## Examples

- The flood caused the displacement of thousands of families.
- Engineers calculated the ship's displacement to ensure it could safely navigate the shallow canal.
- The conflict led to a massive internal displacement of civilians, creating an urgent need for humanitarian aid and long-term housing solutions in the neighbouring provinces.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.