Definition, synonyms and related words
simple past tense and past participle of display
"The rare coins were displayed in a glass case at the museum yesterday."
In plain English: Displayed means showing something so people can see it.
"The winning trophy was displayed on the mantlepiece for everyone to see."
Usage: Use displayed to describe something that was shown publicly or exhibited in a specific location during the past. It often refers to items on sale, works of art, or evidence presented for others to see.
Spread out; unfurled.
"The old sailor proudly displayed his colorful, tattered flag from the stern of the ship."
In plain English: Displayed means something is shown or put on view for people to see.
"The shop window displayed bright balloons for the holiday sale."
Usage: The word "displayed" is strictly a verb and cannot function as an adjective, so it should never be used to describe a noun directly. Instead, use the past participle "unfurled" or the adjective "spread out" when you need to convey that something is laid open for viewing.
Derived from Old French despleier, this past tense verb combines the prefix de- with pleier (to fold), originally meaning to unfold or spread out. It entered English in the late 15th century to describe making something visible by opening it up or presenting it openly.