project

Where does the word "project" come from? It comes from Latin proicere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Project’s story begins in Latin: proicere meant “to throw forward.” To throw forward, from pro- (forward) and iacere (to throw). It reached English by 1400s as project. Settled as the English word for a planned undertaking, or to throw something forward. Today, project means a planned piece of work, or to cause something to extend outward or forward.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient proicere "to throw forward", to throw forward, from pro- (forward) and iacere (to throw).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s project "a planned undertaking, or to throw something forward", settled as the English word for a planned undertaking, or to throw something forward.