protrude

verb

pro·​trude prō-ˈtrüd 

protruded; protruding

intransitive verb

: to jut out from the surrounding surface or context

a handkerchief protruding from his breast pocket

transitive verb

1

: to cause to project

2

archaic : to thrust forward

protrusible

prō-ˈtrü-sə-bəl 

-zə-

adjective

Did you know?

Since trudere means "to thrust" in Latin, protrude means basically "to thrust forward". If your neighbors' patio protrudes over your property boundary, you may want to discuss it with them. A protruding disc in your spine may have to be operated on sooner or later; superficial protrusions, such as corns or bunions, tend to be less serious than more deeply rooted ones.

Synonyms

• bag
• balloon
• beetle
• belly
• billow
• bulge
• bunch
• jut
• overhang
• poke
• pooch [chiefly dialect]
• pouch
• pout
• project
• stand out
• start
• stick out
• swell

Examples of protrude in a Sentence

His lower jaw protrudes slightly.

A handkerchief protruded from his shirt pocket.

Recent Examples on the Web

The shy animal also has horns that curve and protrude out of the top of its head. —Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 10 May 2024

The middle finger is the northern panhandle, the protruding thumb the eastern one. —Dan Kaufman, The New Yorker, 9 May 2024

Prosecutors said the 10-year-old suffered a broken neck, a bone protruding from an unhealed sore and bruises across her body. —Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2024

Image The actress, one of five hosts of this year’s gala, arrived on the carpet in a bluish-green Maison Margiela by John Galliano gown that recalled the palette of a peacock, a comparison even further evoked by what appeared to be a feather protruding from her headpiece. —The Styles Desk, New York Times, 7 May 2024

Officers came across Bacon’s roommate bleeding in the living room as a knife blade protruded from his abdomen, prosecutors said. —Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 1 May 2024

The insect has protruding pink eyes and appears to blend in well with its surroundings. —Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2024

Using a nose trimmer shouldn’t hurt as the tool only cuts the overgrowth so hairs don’t protrude out of your nose. —Lindsay Modglin, Verywell Health, 8 Apr. 2024

In typical Samsung fashion, three individual camera lenses protrude from the top left corner of the smooth, spotted back panel. —PCMAG, 6 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin protrudere, from pro- + trudere to thrust — more at threat

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Kids Definition

protrude

verb

pro·​trude prō-ˈtrüd 

protruded; protruding

: to stick out or cause to stick out

Medical Definition

protrude

verb

pro·​trude prō-ˈtrüd 

protruded; protruding

transitive verb

: to cause to project

the mentalis raises and protrudes the lower lip

—Gray's Anatomy

intransitive verb

: to jut out from the surrounding surface