projection

plural projections

1. countableuncountableSomething which projects, protrudes, juts out, sticks out, or stands out.

   The face of the cliff had many projections that were big enough for birds to nest on.

   1 more example

   Originally the opening had doubtless marked the projection of another road, but the scheme had come to nothing.

   1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC

   Synonyms: protuberance, appendix

2. countableuncountableThe action of projecting or throwing or propelling something.
3. archaiccountableuncountableThe crisis or decisive point of any process, especially a culinary process.
4. countableuncountableThe display of an image by devices such as movie projector, video projector, overhead projector or slide projector.
5. countableuncountableA forecast or prognosis obtained by extrapolation.

   Some projections have estimated that Shah’s party is on track to secure around 184 seats in the 275-member House of Representatives.

   2026 March 11, Chad de Guzman, “Who Is Balendra Shah, the Rapper On Track to Become Nepal’s Next Prime Minister”, in TIME, archived from the original on 11 Mar 2026

6. countableuncountablehuman sciencesA belief or assumption that others have similar thoughts and experiences to one's own, including making accusations that would more fittingly apply to the accuser.

   The morality of patriarchy, Mary Daly argues, is charactrized by "a failure to lay claim to that part of the psyche that is then projected onto 'the Other.'"

   1980 May 28, Judith Plaskow, “Blaming Jews for Inventing Patriarchy”, in Lilith Magazine, volume 7

   1 more example

   Projection is another mechanism of defense and is one that is utilized almost universally to explain one's minor mistakes, and in many cases the minor failures as well. By projection we place the blame for our acts upon others....

   1937, John W. Vann, “To What Extent Is Reality Adjustment Concerned In The Selection Of The Flying Trainee?”, in United States Naval Medical Bulletin, volume 35, page 437

7. countableuncountableartsThe image that a translucent object casts onto another object.
8. countableuncountablecartographyAny of several systems of intersecting lines that allow the curved surface of the earth to be represented on a flat surface. The set of mathematics used to calculate coordinate positions.
9. countableuncountablegeometryAn image of an object on a surface of fewer dimensions.
10. countableuncountablelinear algebraAn idempotent linear transformation which maps vectors from a vector space onto a subspace.
11. countableuncountablemathematicsA transformation which extracts a fragment of a mathematical object.
12. countableuncountablecategory theoryA morphism from a categorical product to one of its (two) components.
13. countableuncountablegrammarThe preservation of the properties of lexical items while generating the phrase structure of a sentence. See Projection principle.
14. countableobsoleteuncountablealchemyA supposed mechanism for the transmutation of large quantities of base metals.

    I speak not here of Projection, whereby one part of an Aurifick Powder is said to turn I know not how many 100 or 1000 parts of an ignobler metal into silver or gold […]

    1666, Robert Boyle, The Origine of Formes and Qualities […], page 365

    2 more examples

    But yet I would that every one should understand me aright, and not count me so simple, as if I did liken or compare my Aurum Potabile with that great Stone of the Philosophers, which transmutes vast quantities of imperfect metals into most pure Gold by projection […]

    1689, Johann Rudolf Glauber, translated by Christopher Packe, The Works of the Highly Experienced and Famous Chymist, John Rudolph Glauber […], page 216

    [Helmont] says, on another occasion, that an adept, after a few days of acquaintance, presented him with half a grain of the powder of projection, with which he transmuted nine ounces of quicksilver into pure gold.

    1888, Arthur Edward Waite, Lives of Alchemystical Philosophers […], page 167

15. countableuncountableperfumeryThe distance the scent of a perfume radiates off the skin.

    SKIN SCENT¶ A fragrance with low projection. One which stays close to the skin because the materials used to make it are less volatile.

    2021, Sarah McCartney, Samantha Scriven, The Perfume Companion […] , Frances Lincoln, →ISBN, page 283