projective

adjective

pro·​jec·​tive prə-ˈjek-tiv 

1

: relating to, produced by, or involving geometric projection

2

psychology : of, relating to, or being a technique, device, or test (such as the Rorschach test) that presents unstructured or ambiguous material (such as inkblots or sentence elements) to elicit interpretive responses revealing personality structure

The Rorschach came to be known as a projective technique—the subject projects his or her anxieties and desires onto ambiguous images …

—Sally Satel

projectively adverb

Examples of projective in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The center, seen as a potential franchise player, has drawn projective NHL comparisons to Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews because of his all-around game. —Eric Stephens, The Athletic, 6 July 2024

Another projective test, TAT consists of a series of cards with a variety of scenes on them. —Lacy Schley, Discover Magazine, 1 July 2018

Human beings have projective abilities, and this capacity to project the self in time—into both the past and the future—is the core of the imagination. —Pamela Weintraub, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2012

Word History

First Known Use

1640, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing projective

• projective geometry

Medical Definition

projective

adjective

pro·​jec·​tive prə-ˈjek-tiv 

: of, relating to, or being a technique, device, or test (as the Rorschach test) designed to analyze the psychodynamic constitution of an individual by presenting unstructured or ambiguous material (as inkblots, pictures, and sentence elements) that will elicit interpretive responses revealing personality structure