"displace, put out of regular position," especially of a limb or organ of the body, c. 1600, from Medieval Latin dislocatus, past participle of dislocare "put out of place," from Latin dis- "away" (see dis-) + locare "to place," from locus "a place," which is of uncertain origin. Related: Dislocated; dislocating. Earlier as a past-participle adjective, "out of joint" (c. 1400).