Verb
He sat with his legs splayed apart.
She splayed her fingers to show off her manicure.
His fingers splayed out over the table as he steadied himself.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Lady Gaga's Chromatica team reveals the history and future of her new era
Cut to the stark interlude that shows her on a cold operating table, nodules attached to her head, splayed out for the world to see, like a medical patient wasting away in plain sight.—EW.com, 26 May 2024 The campaign is set on a beach with models splayed in lounge and swimwear with Burberry motifs throughout them.—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 20 May 2024
Noun
For some people, simply switching shoes (and possibly ditching their socks) is enough to help their toes achieve proper splay.—Laura Lancaster, Outdoor Life, 11 Apr. 2024 In one inspirational photo, a large multicolored butterfly spans the entire seat of a vintage pair of Miss Sixty jeans, while in another, shiny silver flowers splay across a Dries van Noten jacket.—Dakota Kim, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for splay
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'splay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English splaien "to unfurl, spread out, spread-eagle, split (a fish) lengthwise and lay open," aphetic form of displaien "to unfurl (a banner), spread (the arms), display entry 1"
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