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

Someone who might want to look cool in a similar way today might sit in a chair like this [slouches into the chair with his pelvis closer to the edge of the seat and his legs splayed], right? Lily-Rose Depp in Nosferatu. —Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2025

Standards ‘are not being met’ The sheepherders’ tent was miles off-trail in the mountains of Idaho, staked on a sagebrush hillside with a wide valley splayed out before it. —Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 17 Jan. 2025

Noun

Her legs splay, tilt and leap readily into pratfall action. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024

Even our runners with regular-width feet appreciated the extra space, once they got used to their toes having room for their natural positioning and splay. —Cory Smith, Outside Online, 19 Sep. 2024

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

Kids Definition

splay

verb

ˈsplā

: to spread out or apart

a colt with legs splayed out