# projection

/pɹəˈdʒɛkʃən/ (US) · /pɹədʒˈɛkʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/projection
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a forecast

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

a calculation or guess about what will happen in the future based on information you have now.

For teachers: an estimate or forecast of a future situation or trend based on a study of present data.

- The company's financial projection suggests that profits will double next year.
- Economic projections for the next quarter remain cautious due to the unpredictable nature of global energy markets and shifting consumer demand.

### 2. visual display

noun · CEFR B1

an image or film shown on a screen or wall using a piece of equipment.

For teachers: the presentation of an image, video, or film onto a surface using a projector.

- The artist used a large projection of a forest to decorate the stage.
- The digital projection was so crisp that the audience could see the individual brushstrokes of the original painting on the gallery wall.

### 3. something sticking out

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a part of something that sticks out from a surface.

For teachers: a part that protrudes or extends outward from a main body or surface.

- The mountain climbers rested on a small rocky projection halfway up the cliff.
- The architect designed several decorative projections along the facade to create a play of light and shadow during the afternoon hours.

### 4. psychology

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

when you imagine that other people have the same feelings or problems that you actually have yourself.

For teachers: the mental process by which people attribute their own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or motives to another person.

- His constant accusations of lying were just a projection of his own guilt.
- In clinical psychology, projection is viewed as a defense mechanism where an individual denies their own negative traits by perceiving them in others.

### 5. map making

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a way of showing the round Earth on a flat map.

For teachers: a systematic transformation of the latitudes and longitudes of locations from the surface of a sphere into locations on a plane.

- The Mercator projection is a famous map that makes countries near the poles look much larger.
- Cartographers must choose a map projection that minimizes distortion for the specific geographic area they intend to represent.

### 6. alchemy

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

an old idea that people could turn cheap metals like lead into gold.

For teachers: the final stage of an alchemical process, specifically the transmutation of base metals into gold or silver.

- Ancient alchemists spent their lives searching for the secret of projection.
- The manuscript detailed the final steps of projection, claiming that a small amount of the philosopher's stone could transform lead into pure gold.

## Examples

- The company's sales projections for the next quarter look very promising.
- Based on current population trends, the city's latest projection suggests we will need three new schools by the end of the decade.
- The economic projection failed to account for sudden supply chain disruptions, rendering the initial revenue estimates overly optimistic and forcing the board to revise their annual budget.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.