projection

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   An estimate of what will happen later, worked out from current figures or trends.

   Grammar: Often plural: sales projections.

   Patterns

   • a projection of something
   • a projection for something

   The projection shows sales doubling by 2030.

   Population projections suggest slow growth.

   The firm's projections proved too hopeful.

2. 2nouncountable or uncountable

   An image shown on a surface by a beam of light.

   Grammar: Often with a projector.

   Patterns

   • a projection of something

   The projection on the wall was blurry.

   Film projection requires a dark room.

   A laser projection lit the sky.

3. 3nouncountable

   A part that sticks out from a surface.

   Grammar: Concrete use.

   Patterns

   • a projection from something

   A rocky projection jutted from the cliff.

   The wall has a small projection.

   He tripped on a projection in the floor.

4. 4noununcountabletechnical

   The act of unconsciously attributing your own feelings or traits to someone else.

   Grammar: Psychology term.

   Patterns

   • projection onto someone

   His anger at her was really projection.

   Psychologists study projection.

   Projection can harm relationships.

5. 5nouncountabletechnical

   A method of drawing the curved surface of the earth on a flat map.

   Grammar: Map term: Mercator projection.

   Patterns

   • a map projection

   The Mercator projection stretches areas near the poles.

   Each map projection distorts something.

   The atlas uses a new projection.

Word forms

Common combinations

sales projection

The sales projection was optimistic.

population projection

Population projections show growth.

map projection

Choose a map projection.

financial projection

Banks study financial projections.

psychological projection

His claim was psychological projection.

Synonyms and how they differ

forecast

Forecast is common for weather and sales and may be shorter-term.

estimate

Estimate is a rough calculation of a current figure.

prediction

Prediction need not be based on data.

bulge

Bulge is a rounded part that sticks out.

Word family

project verb

to estimate, show or stick out

projector noun

a device that shows images

projected adjective

estimated for the future

Commonly confused: projection or protection?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “projection”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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