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
In the single bed, the two lie dying, their bodies splayed yet touching.—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 20 June 2024 Because the heel and forefront are the same height, runners experience a more natural foot strike, and the toes have more room to splay out.—Suzie Glassman, Health, 18 June 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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