projector

American  

[pruh-jek-ter] / prəˈdʒɛk tər /

noun

• projectors
  plural

1. an apparatus for throwing an image on a screen, as a motion-picture projector or magic lantern.

2. a device for projecting a beam of light.

3. a person who forms projects or plans.

4. Archaic. a person who devises underhanded or unsound plans; schemer.

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projector British  

/ prəˈdʒɛktə /

noun

1. Full name: slide projector.  an optical instrument that projects an enlarged image of individual slides onto a screen or wall

2. Full name: film projector.   cine projector.  an optical instrument in which a strip of film is wound past a lens at a fixed speed so that the frames can be viewed as a continuously moving sequence on a screen or wall

3. a device for projecting a light beam

4. a person who devises projects

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• projectors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of projector

First recorded in 1590–1600; project + -or ²

Explanation

A projector is a machine you use for showing movies or images on a screen. In the days before digital cameras, tourists would frequently take pictures with slide film that they could show their friends later with a projector. Today, most theaters use digital equipment to show movies, although a few are still filmed on actual film and require an old-fashioned projector. While these days a teacher might use a large television and a laptop to show the class an educational film, they would once have had to use a projector and a film strip. Projector comes from the verb project, "cast an image," from Latin roots pro-, "forward," and iacere, "to throw."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

projector projectors

Instead of straining vegetables and pasta, you can use a colander to achieve a similar effect to that of the pinhole projector.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

The astronomy group suggests creating a pinhole projector, which can be done by making a hole in a piece of card.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

"I've read the safety information and it should be cheap and easy enough to make a pinhole projector."

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

Inside Billy’s private movie theater, the projector beams down on the back of Anderson’s head like that infamous Nicole Kidman AMC promo.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

With a wave of his hand, the projector clicked on in the back.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Those unable to find glasses used other methods, including colanders as pinhole projectors to cast multiple images of the eclipse.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

While there are more than 50 Imax screens in the UK, only three are showing it using 70mm film projectors - the BFI and Science Museum in London, and Printworks in Manchester.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Facilities are now included in the Grand for projectors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2026

Digital Products International, a manufacturer and importer of consumer electronics, is telling its manufacturing partners to step up production of projectors, hobby drones with Wi-Fi cameras and other popular products.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 6, 2026

“Brilliant is an understatement,” Regan said, leaning forward to inspect one of the projectors.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin