projectionist

American

[pruh-jek-shuh-nist] / prəˈdʒɛk ʃə nɪst /

noun

an operator of a motion-picture or slide projector.
a person who makes projections, especially a cartographer.

projectionist British

/ prəˈdʒɛkʃənɪst /

noun

a person responsible for the operation of film projection machines

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of projectionist

First recorded in 1920–25; projection + -ist

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Jerry and Bonnie had grown up in Hebron going to the Mayer every week, and Jerry had even worked there as a projectionist when he was in high school.

From Salon • Dec. 18, 2025

Michael Rousselet, a projectionist at the Eagle Rock theater, often drinks a lot of coffee to stay alert during late-night screenings.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 21, 2025

And in Dallas, Cinemark added 10 a.m. showings to the movie’s two-week Imax run to meet audience demand, said retired Imax technician and projectionist Patrick Caldwell.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2025

Jason Beauchamp-Hughes, the general manager, has been told Cyril was a projectionist and army volunteer, whose wife was an usherette.

From BBC • Dec. 25, 2024

The curtains closed, everyone applauded, and the projectionist changed the reels.

From "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023