protrude
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
verb
-
to thrust or cause to thrust forwards or outwards
-
to project or cause to project from or as if from a surface
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of protrude
First recorded in 1610–20; from Latin prōtrūdere “to thrust forward,” equivalent to prō- pro- 1 + trūdere “to thrust”
Explanation
Protrude means to stick out. A gravestone protrudes from the ground, a shelf protrudes from a wall, a lollipop stick protrudes from your mouth. From the Latin prō- "forward, out" + trūdere "to thrust," protrude often describes coastlines where rocks stick out into the water. Prō- gives us protrusion "something that sticks out," and protuberance "something that grows out of something else"––a goiter, for example, or a nose.
Vocabulary lists containing protrude
List 6
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
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My Life with the Chimpanzees
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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.
Boxes labelled with western logos like New Balance and Clarks protrude from this shop's packed shelves.
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026
In a canyon overlooking Paradise Cove, melted steel beams protrude from a concrete foundation that survived Woolsey.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 30, 2025
Dendritic spines protrude from dendrites, a component of neurons, and receive synaptic signals that are critical in learning and memory.
From Science Daily • Feb. 20, 2024
If there is a weak spot between the abdominal muscles, internal organs might start to protrude through the gap, causing a hernia.
From New York Times • Oct. 30, 2023
I put on my mask; the sunbird feathers protrude over my hair like ram horns.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
