The word "placard" can indicate any number of types of signs or messages. They can be affixed to buildings as well as carried and they can be found within several different contexts.
Etymology
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary states that the first English usage of "placard" was in 1560. It derives from the Middle English form "plaquart" which meant "formal document." It also stems from the medieval French noun "placard" coming from the verb "plaquer" meaning "to adhere." In contemporary French, "placard" can mean a closet or a cupboard.
On Buildings
Placards can be placed on buildings to be informative. Well-known examples are "caution" signs warning of explosives or toxins. Handicap signs in parking lots are also termed placards. There are a number of vendors who produce different size models of these common placards for business use. One of the most recognizable placards may be the radioactive image with the opposing triangle-like forms over a yellow background. The vast majority of marketed placards represent some hazardous substance or situation.
Protesting
Signs carried during protests or demonstrations are sometimes called placards as well. The famous peace signs carried during the Vietnam era or contemporary signs carried by striking workers are placards.
Numbered Placards
Often you may see a placard with four digits on it which may or may not say "Corrosive." These placards are necessary for shipping hazardous materials and the numbers on them correlate to classifications of the substance that is being carried. They are required by law.
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