Dictionary entries for 'displacement'

Synonyms

dis·place·ment (dĭs-plāśmənt)

noun

1. The act of displacing.
2. The condition of having been displaced.
Chemistry A reaction in which an atom, radical, or molecule replaces another in a compound.
Physics
1. A vector or the magnitude of a vector from the initial position to a subsequent position assumed by a body.
2. The weight or volume of a fluid displaced by a floating body, used especially as a measurement of the weight or bulk of ships.
The volume displaced by a single stroke of a piston in an engine or pump.
Geology
1. The relative movement between the two sides of a fault.
2. The distance between the two sides of a fault. Also called dislocation
Psychiatry A psychological defense mechanism in which there is an unconscious shift of emotions, affect, or desires from the original object to a more acceptable or immediate substitute.