replaced
UK[rɪˈpleɪst]US[rɪˈpleɪst]
v
Took the place of; substituted for something or someone else.
v
Put something back in its original position.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
place
ed
re
again
place
put
ed
past tense suffix
Etymology
The verb 'replaced' is built upon the core concept of 'placing' or 'setting', a notion that entered English via French from the Latin 'platea', originally denoting a physical space. The Latin prefix 're-', meaning "again" or "back", was attached to this root to create the sense of putting something back or putting a new thing in the position of an old one. The addition of the Old English past tense suffix '-ed' completes the formation, marking the action as completed. Thus, the word's literal journey from "broad way" to "to set" and finally to "set again" or "set back" perfectly encapsulates its modern meanings of substitution and restoration.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + place (put) + ed (past tense suffix)
re: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "again" or "back".
place: From Old French 'place', from Latin 'platea' meaning "broad street, courtyard", itself from Greek 'plateia (hodos)' meaning "broad (way)". In this word, it functions as the root meaning "to put or set".
ed: A suffix of Old English origin, used to form the past tense and past participle of regular verbs.
Examples
The mechanic replaced the worn-out brake pads.
After reading the letter, she carefully replaced it in the envelope.
The old model was completely replaced by a more efficient design.