Rorschach test

American  

[rawr-shahk, rohr-] / ˈrɔr ʃɑk, ˈroʊr- /

noun

Psychology.

1. a test for revealing the underlying personality structure of an individual by the use of a standard series of 10 inkblot designs to which the subject responds by telling what image or emotion each design evokes.

---

Rorschach test British  

/ ˈrɔrʃax, ˈrɔːʃɑːk /

noun

1. psychol a personality test consisting of a number of unstructured ink blots presented for interpretation

---

Rorschach test Scientific  

/ rôr′shäk′,-shäkh′ /

1. A psychological test in which a subject's interpretations of a series of standard inkblots are analyzed as an indication of personality traits, preoccupations, and conflicts. The test is named after its inventor, Swiss psychiatrist and neurologist Hermann Rorschach (1884–1922).

---

Rorschach test Cultural  

1. A test for personality traits that relies on the subject's interpretations of a series of inkblots. The test was developed by Hermann Rorschach, a Swiss psychiatrist of the twentieth century.

---

Etymology

Origin of Rorschach test

1925–30; named after Hermann Rorschach (1884–1922), Swiss psychiatrist

Example Sentences

I see this as an interesting Rorschach test for companies.

From Slate • Apr. 22, 2026

With the devastating prospect of a labor apocalypse threatening baseball’s future, the Milwaukee Brewers have emerged as a major-league Rorschach test.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 12, 2025

Simpson was, and even in death, still is something of a Rorschach test — definitely for Angelenos, but really for all Americans.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2024

As an album, “New Blue Sun” tends toward the curio — both endurance and Rorschach test.

From New York Times • Feb. 2, 2024

It was a Rorschach test for the incurably insane.

From Violists by McGowan, Richard