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Meaning of project in English

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project verb ( CALCULATE )

project verb ( THROW )

project verb ( MAKE AN IMAGE )

project verb ( STICK OUT )

project | American Dictionary

Project noun ( piece of work ), project noun ( building ), project | business english, examples of project, collocations with project.

These are words often used in combination with project .

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Translations of project

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twice the size, amount, price, etc., or consisting of two similar things together

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OTHER WORDS FOR project

Origin of project, synonym study for project, other words from project, words nearby project, words related to project, how to use project in a sentence.

Interviews were conducted in Arizona, Florida and North Carolina as part of a joint project by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Cook Political Report.

The project took data on the soil and slopes across California and then included wildfire risk and climate project ions, and used that to show which roadways were vulnerable to post-fire debris flows.

Launching a project to grow more palm oil on less land was the easy part, he knew.

We urge more investors to invest capital into high-impact project s where everyone succeeds as a result.

That project began in 2018 with Kerri Evelyn Harris's campaign, and the vote patterns today will reveal whether the left can make more gains with suburbanites.

I started just writing these songs, at first it felt like a project or something.

Thus begins an episode of The Mindy Project centered around a guy trying to have butt sex with his girlfriend.

Riots broke out in 1994, after Iranian authorities replaced a Sunni mosque in Mashad with a development project .

Gurley was gunned down on Nov. 20, when a pair of cops was patrolling the rough housing project .

Opechatesgays.com is one project of a much larger organization, EthicalOil.org—and here is where things get really interesting.

The worthy knight not being now alive to veto the project , a figure of him has been placed opposite the College in Edmund Street.

Her black eyes were fixed intently on his face, but she was thinking, weighing in her mind some suddenly-formed project .

Very soon I induced my directors to adopt the view that the railway company must encourage and help the project .

New York is like one of those nightmares a certain class of writers project and label 'Earth in the Year 2000.'

The project of a congress was accordingly abandoned, and everywhere recrimination gave place to rejoicing.

British Dictionary definitions for project

Word Origin for project

Definition of project

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of project  (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

intransitive verb

plan , design , plot , scheme , project mean a method devised for making or doing something or achieving an end.

plan always implies mental formulation and sometimes graphic representation.

design often suggests a particular pattern and some degree of achieved order or harmony.

plot implies a laying out in clearly distinguished sections with attention to their relations and proportions.

scheme stresses calculation of the end in view and may apply to a plan motivated by craftiness and self-interest.

project often stresses imaginative scope and vision.

Example Sentences

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'project.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback .

Word History

Middle English projecte , from Medieval Latin projectum , from Latin, neuter of projectus , past participle of proicere to throw forward, from pro- + jacere to throw — more at jet

Anglo-French projecter , from Latin projectus , past participle

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing project

Dictionary Entries Near project

Cite this entry.

“Project.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/project. Accessed 3 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of project.

Kids Definition of project  (Entry 2 of 2)

Medical Definition

Medical definition of project, more from merriam-webster on project.

Nglish: Translation of project for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of project for Arabic Speakers

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Project Definition: The Meaning of a Project

ProjectManager

What is the definition of a project, exactly? We talk a lot about specific facets of project management, but it’s sometimes valuable to start at the root and dig into the basics.

In order to fully understand high-level project management concepts, it’s important to know the simple answers. When you can call on this knowledge, more complicated concepts are easier to master. Whether you’re the project manager or a stakeholder, give your next project definition with these project management tips in mind.

Project Definition

A project is a set of tasks that must be completed in order to arrive at a particular goal or outcome. Depending on the size and scope of the project, these tasks may be simple or elaborate, but all projects can be broken down into objectives and what needs to be done to achieve them.

ProjectManager's Gantt chart

Organizations and individuals manage projects with a wide range of objectives. These can take many forms, from constructing a building to planning an event and even completing a certain duty. Retailers, for example, may pursue projects that improve the way they track order fulfillment. Construction teams complete projects any time they plan and build something—and so on!

7 Key Project Terms to Know

No matter the project, there are universal project terms that are used regardless of project type, project size or any other factor. Know these seven terms like the back of your hand and you’ll be a step ahead before the project begins:

1. Project Lifecycle

The project lifecycle refers to the five phases all projects must progress through, from start to finish. The five phases of a project lifecycle serve as the most basic outline that gives a project definition. These five phases are initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and closure.

2. Project Scope

Project scope is a key aspect of the project planning stage. In many ways, it is the starting point. Determining project scope requires the project manager and their team to set goals and objectives, detail deliverables, create tasks, establish important dates and more. Project scope defines desired outcomes and all specific factors which will affect reaching them.

3. Stakeholder

A stakeholder refers to anyone and everyone involved in a project. A stakeholder can be involved at every stage of the project, or just in a certain way. Stakeholder analysis helps categorize how investors, team members, vendors, contractors and more can affect your project.

4. Deliverable

A deliverable refers to the specific outcome(s) a project creates. Deliverables can be “tangible” or “intangible,” meaning they can be a physical product or something conceptual. Typically, deliverables are the need that inspired the project in the first place. If someone contracts a builder to design and construct an office space, the office is a tangible deliverable.

5. Milestone

Milestones are predetermined achievements that help track project progress. Think of milestones as checkpoints. These checkpoints are decided on before a project begins, so the project manager and team know when they are on track to achieve deliverables. Without milestones, it’s difficult to know if the project is on the road to success or needs to reroute.

6. Resources

A resource is anything necessary to complete a project. In a construction project, materials are an essential resource. That said, other resources — like time, labor and equipment — are just as important. A project manager must be able to identify all of the project resources in order to create a resource plan and manage the resources accordingly. When resources are left unaccounted for, it is easy to mismanage them.

7. Dependencies

Project dependencies refer to how resources must be shared and allocated within a project. Many projects will use the same physical materials for different purposes and across different stages. Understanding this dependency is the only way to ensure there is enough of resource to go around. Similarly, all projects are broken down into tasks. When one task cannot begin before another is completed, these tasks share a dependency.

What it Means to Work on a Project

Whether it’s the project manager, a team member or any other project stakeholder, they’re a member of the greater project team and their actions directly affect other team members. Like any team, you “win” or “lose” as a unit, so it’s incredibly important to communicate and listen to other team members in order to coordinate efforts and succeed. Most project mishaps and project failures are the direct results of poor communication or lack of collaboration.

Why does this matter as long as the work is getting done? Working on a project is about understanding the project as a whole just as much as it is about doing the work. The only way to see this big picture is by listening to the team and learning from one another.

What is Project Management?

The process of project management starts with the conception of the project and continues all the way through the project lifecycle. This requires detailed knowledge of company resources and how to assign them in order to complete tasks, duties, events and other projects.

A wide range of industries relies on project management methods and tools to execute projects. A few examples of these industries are construction, IT, engineering, marketing and advertising. Any team working together to reach a shared objective is engaging in some form of project management.

What Does a Project Manager Do?

A project manager is more than just a manager, in the traditional sense. This individual is the leader of the project team and oversees every aspect of the project, from beginning to end. The project manager will typically write the project plan, run team meetings, assign tasks and do quality control tests to ensure everything is running smoothly. A project manager can’t carry the entire project on their back, though. One of their key duties, in fact, is knowing how to entrust various responsibilities to team members.

With the help of their team, project managers will create project schedules and budgets. They will also create project reports throughout the project lifecycle.

As you can see, their responsibilities are widespread, but that doesn’t mean spreading too thin. Ideally, a project manager creates the foundation of the project—like the foundation of a house. They then appoint other individuals to finish out each room.

Project Definition: Best Practices for Project Management

Regardless of the project, the size of the team, or anything else, there are practices that exponentially increase the chances of success. As vital as it is to hit goals and achieve deliverables, it is just as important to create a positive culture within the project. These five tips may seem simple, but they make all the difference in the world:

Set Regular Team Check-ins

It’s easy to meet with the team “as needed,” but once a project begins it gets harder to find time in everyone’s schedule. Instead, schedule regular meetings before a project even starts. These meetings serve as check-ins where team members can give each other updates, voice concerns, ask questions, make adjustments and do anything else they may need. When these check-ins are already built into the schedule, no one is waiting to meet until there is a mishap or issue.

Part of what gives a project definition is knowing how to delegate. Whether it’s the project managers or a team member, they’ll more than likely need help with a task at some point. Now, this doesn’t mean just passing along the task to someone else. What it means is that every team member has equal responsibilities. Instead, the best project managers know how to relinquish some control and delegate to team members.

Know the Team

Everyone on the project management team should be familiar with each other’s strengths, weaknesses and specialties. For example, if a team member needs information from a different department, they should know exactly who to ask. This familiarity cuts down on lost time. It is especially important for a project manager to know their team extremely well.

When project member knows these things, they can make decisions that play to their team members’ strengths, not around their weaknesses. Knowing the team is a huge aspect of creating a positive culture within a project, as it celebrates everyone’s abilities.

Celebrate Milestones

Speaking of positive culture, never underestimate the power of taking a moment to mark meeting a milestone. Reaching one means the team has made significant progress and the project is still on track. At the very least, it’s important to announce reaching milestones during team check-ins. This keeps everyone on the same page and improves team efficacy.

Choose Superior PM Tools

Project management is an extremely complex job. Without the proper tools, it’s easy to make mistakes, become disorganized and even fail to complete the project. The best way to protect your project from these missteps is by choosing tools that simplify the entire process.

The best project management software does just that. Using project management software unleashes your team’s and the project’s full potential and takes the end result to new heights. The key is finding an intuitive, user-friendly project management software that makes no compromises in functionality.

How ProjectManager Makes Managing Projects Easy

ProjectManager is an award-winning project management software that makes managing projects easier than ever. Our cloud-based software allows the entire team to work on the project while in the field or on the go, and our modern interface combines functionality with user-friendly navigation. This means no more wasted time just trying to familiarize yourself with a new tool and more time perfecting your project definition.

Plan on Gantt Charts

Plan your projects from start to finish with ProjectManager’s powerful Gantt chart feature, which allows you to map out project tasks in phases. You can even create dependencies and set milestones. Plus, you can import Excel files and Microsoft Project files, so switching over to our software is seamless.

ProjectManager's Gantt chart

Track on Project Dashboards

As the project team moves forward with tasks, project managers can track every status update on our real-time dashboard that you can personalize to show the most important metrics. Every change to a task is tracked, and automatically updates the colorful, easy-to-read charts and graphs. Keeping an eye on your project’s progress has never been easier!

ProjectManager’s dashboard view, which shows six key metrics on a project

Get all these features and more when you use ProjectManager. All of these tools are available in our software to help you plan, track and report on your project in real time. See what it can do for you by taking this free 30-day trial run!

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COMMENTS

  1. Project Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

    projected; projecting; projects transitive verb 1 a : to devise in the mind : design b : to plan, figure, or estimate for the future 2 : to throw or cast forward : thrust 3 : to put or set forth : present for consideration 4 : to cause to jut out 5 : to cause (light or shadow) to fall into space or (an image) to fall on a surface 6

  2. PROJECT | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

    project noun (PIECE OF WORK) [ C ] a piece of planned work or activity that is completed over a period of time and intended to achieve a particular aim: a research project construction projects Painting the bedroom is Steve’s next project. project noun (BUILDING) [ C usually pl ] a housing project Idiom project an image project verb

  3. Project Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

    to propose, contemplate, or plan. to throw, cast, or impel forward or onward. verb (used without object) pro·ject [pruh-jekt] to extend or protrude beyond something else. to use one's voice forcefully enough to be heard at a distance, as in a theater. OTHER WORDS FOR project 1 proposal. 6 contrive, scheme, plot, devise. 8 predict.

  4. Projects Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

    The meaning of PROJECT is a specific plan or design : scheme. How to use project in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Project.

  5. Project Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary

    Britannica Dictionary definition of PROJECT 1 [+ object] : to plan, calculate, or estimate (something) for a time in the future He projected next year's costs as being slightly higher than this year's. It's difficult to project funding needs so far into the future. — often used as (be) projected

  6. Project Definition: The Meaning of a Project - ProjectManager

    A project is a set of tasks that must be completed in order to arrive at a particular goal or outcome. Depending on the size and scope of the project, these tasks may be simple or elaborate, but all projects can be broken down into objectives and what needs to be done to achieve them.

  7. Projects - definition of projects by The Free Dictionary

    Define projects. projects synonyms, projects pronunciation, projects translation, English dictionary definition of projects. n. 1. An undertaking requiring concerted ...

  8. Project - Wikipedia

    Based on the Project Management Institute, a project can be defined as a "temporary endeavor" aimed to drive changes in teams, organizations, or societies. The output of a project is normally a unique product, service, or result. [6] Cancellation [ edit]