placard
n.a sign with writing on it that people hold up to show their opinion. You often see these at protests or in front of shops.
n.a signboard or panel bearing a message, typically held by a person or displayed in a public space. Often used in the context of political demonstrations or advertising.
“The protesters held up placards with bright yellow letters.”
“During the rally, the crowd waved placards demanding better public transport and lower taxes.”
“The marchers carried placards that were carefully designed to be legible from a distance, ensuring their message reached the television cameras and passing motorists alike.”
“Patricia Cohen, who was at the vigil holding a yellow rose and a placard, said she had stopped reading coverage of the case weeks earlier, calling it “biased”.”
“People also carried placards reading “rest in power”.”
From Middle English placard (“official document”), from Middle French placard, placart, plaquart (“a placard, a writing pasted on a wall”), from the Old French verb plaquer, plaquier (“to stick or paste, roughcast”), from Middle Dutch placken, plecken (“to glue or fasten, plaster, patch”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *plaggą (“a piece of cloth, patch”), equivalent to plaque + -ard. Related to Middle Low German placken (“to smear with lime or clay, plaster”), Saterland Frisian Plak, Plakke (“a hit, smack, slap”), German Placken (“a spot, patch”), Icelandic plagg (“a document”), Hebrew פלקט (plakat, “a large sheet of paper, typically with a photo or writing, posted on the wall”), English play. Compare also Modern Dutch plakkaat (“placard”), Saterland Frisian Plakoat (“a placard, poster”). More at play.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.