placard

Etymology

From Middle English placard (“official document”), from Middle French placard, placart, plaquart (“a placard, a writing pasted on a wall”), from the Old French verb plaquer, plaquier (“to stick or paste, roughcast”), from Middle Dutch placken, plecken (“to glue or fasten, plaster, patch”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *plaggą (“a piece of cloth, patch”), equivalent to plaque + -ard. Related to Middle Low German placken (“to smear with lime or clay, plaster”), Saterland Frisian Plak, Plakke (“a hit, smack, slap”), German Placken (“a spot, patch”), Icelandic plagg (“a document”), Hebrew פלקט (“'plakat' a large sheet of paper, typically with a photo or writing, posted on the wall”), English play. Compare also Modern Dutch plakkaat (“placard”), Saterland Frisian Plakoat (“a placard, poster”). More at play.

noun

1. A sheet of paper or cardboard with a written or printed announcement on one side for display in a public place.
   Towards the end of August, the Southern Railway decided to adopt a novel form of publicity to popularise the services. Sandwich board men were employed at Charing Cross and Cannon Street to display placards, and distribute leaflet timetables, calling attention to the vacant seats on the services via Nunhead. 1946 November and December, “Additional London-Dartford Services”, in Railway Magazine, page 386
2. (obsolete) A public proclamation; a manifesto or edict issued by authority.
3. (obsolete) Permission given by authority; a license.
   to give a placard to do something
4. (historical) An extra plate on the lower part of the breastplate or backplate of armour.
5. (historical) A kind of stomacher, often adorned with jewels, worn in the fifteenth century and later.
6. The woodwork and frame of the door of a closet etc.

verb

1. To affix a placard to.
2. To announce with placards.
   to placard a sale