displacement

(dĭs-plāsˈmənt)

1. a. The act of displacing.
   b. The condition of having been displaced.
2. Chemistry A reaction in which an atom, radical, or molecule replaces another in a compound.
3. Physics
   a. A vector or the magnitude of a vector from the initial position to a subsequent position assumed by a body.
   b. The weight or volume of a fluid displaced by a floating body, used especially as a measurement of the weight or bulk of ships.
4. The volume displaced by a single stroke of a piston in an engine or pump.
5. Geology
   a. The relative movement between the two sides of a fault.
   b. The distance between the two sides of a fault. Also called dislocation.
6. 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.