splay

1 of 3

verb

ˈsplā 

splayed; splaying; splays

transitive verb

1

: to cause to spread outward

2

: to make oblique : bevel

intransitive verb

1

: to extend apart or outward especially in an awkward manner

2

: slope, slant

splay

2 of 3

noun

1

: a slope or bevel especially of the sides of a door or window

2

: spread, expansion

splay

3 of 3

adjective

1

: turned outward

splay knees

2

: awkward, ungainly

Examples of splay in a Sentence

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

And then there is the ever-increasing atomization across media, with political discourse splaying out across countless newsletters that are only intermittently in conversation with one another. — Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 2 Nov. 2026

This sort of artichoke will be presented whole and upright, its petals loosened from cooking but not full Bloomin’ Onion splayed. — The Editors, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026

Noun

The overall slimness of the shoe has a narrow toe box, not allowing the toes to splay, which can lead to hammer toes or aggravation of bunions. — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026

The fin on the fish’s back breaks the water first, then the delicate splay of its tail. — Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026

Adjective

True to the brand’s legacy of comfort-forward technology, the shoes have plenty of room across the forefoot, allowing toes to naturally splay. — Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026

Our thoughts went back to the splay-foot tracks. — Bob Cary, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2025

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"

Noun

derivative of splay entry 1

Adjective

derivative of splay entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

circa 1508, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for splay

• ay
• bay
• bey
• brae
• cay
• chez
• dey
• dray
• fay
• fey
• flay
• fray

Kids Definition

splay

verb

ˈsplā

: to spread out or apart

a colt with legs splayed out