display
UK[dɪˈspleɪ]US[dɪˈspleɪ]
v
To put something in a place where people can see it easily.
v
To show a quality, feeling, or ability.
n
An arrangement of things for people to look at.
n
The part of a computer or other device that shows information.
Morpheme Breakdown
dis
play
dis
apart, away
play
to fold, to weave
Etymology
The word 'display' has a fascinating journey from a literal, physical action to its modern abstract and digital meanings. It entered Middle English from Anglo-French 'despleier', which itself evolved from the Latin 'displicare', meaning 'to scatter' or 'to unfold'. The core logic is built from 'dis-' (apart) and 'plicare' (to fold), so the original sense was to unfold or spread something out for viewing. Over centuries, this literal sense of unfolding a banner or arraying goods broadened to encompass any act of showing, exhibiting a quality, or presenting information visually, culminating in its contemporary use for electronic screens.
Analysis
Structure: dis (apart, away) + play (to fold, to weave)
'dis-' is a Latin prefix meaning 'apart' or 'away'. 'play' originates from the Latin verb 'plicare', meaning 'to fold' or 'to weave', which appears in English as the morpheme '-play' or '-ply'.
Examples
The museum will display the new artifacts in the main hall.
He displayed remarkable courage during the crisis.
The flight information is shown on the digital display above the check-in counters.