Protruding

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Sticking out visibly from a surface or boundary creates a notable extension from its environment
2. Extending outward from a surface so as to be noticeable beyond the surrounding area
3. Projecting beyond an edge or boundary in a way that makes it stand out from its background

Etymology: "Protruding" is the present participle of "protrude," which English took directly from Latin "prōtrūdere," meaning "to push or thrust forwards." The Latin verb combines "prō-," a prefix denoting forward movement, with "trūdere," "to push, shove, thrust." That second element traces back to an ancient root meaning "to push" that also gave English words like "intrude" and "abstruse" through its Latin relatives. The sense of the word is a literal one at heart: something shoved forward past the surface around it. So a tooth sticking out of a jaw, or a rock edge jutting from a cliff face, is protruding in exactly the way the Latin verb describes. The meaning of standing out visually from the background follows naturally from that physical thrust outward.

Synonyms: sticking out, jutting, bulging, projecting, sticking

Antonyms: recessed, concave, sunken, depressed, indented