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Origin and history of demonstrative

demonstrative(adj.)

late 14c., demonstratif, "characterized by logic, based on logic, showing or making manifest the truth or existence (of something)," from Old French démonstratif (14c.) and directly from Latin demonstrativus "pointing out, demonstrating," from demonstrat-, past-participle stem of demonstrare "to indicate, describe" (see demonstration).

The grammatical sense, "pointing out the thing referred to," is from mid-15c.; general sense of "having the quality of clearly showing, illustrative" is by 1520s. Meaning "given to or characterized by strong outward expressions of feelings" is from 1819. Related: Demonstratively; demonstrativeness.

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to demonstrative

demonstration(n.)

late 14c., demonstracioun, "proof that something is true," by reasoning or logical deduction or practical experiment, from Old French demonstration (14c.) and directly from Latin demonstrationem (nominative demonstratio), noun of action from past-participle stem of demonstrare "to point out, indicate, demonstrate," figuratively, "to prove, establish," from de- "entirely" (see de-) + monstrare "to point out, reveal show," which is related to monstrum "divine omen, wonder" (source of monster). Both are derivatives of monere "to remind, bring to (one's) recollection, tell (of); admonish, advise, warn, instruct, teach," from PIE *moneie- "to make think of, remind," a suffixed (causative) form of the root *men- (1) "to think."

Sense of "exhibition and explanation of practical operations" is by 1807. Meaning "public show of feeling by a number of persons in support of some political or social cause," at first usually involving a mass meeting and a procession, is from 1839. Related: Demonstrational.

undemonstrative(adj.)

1826, "not given to outward expression of feelings," from un- (1) "not" + demonstrative (adj.).

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    tandem
    , jocular use of Latin tandem "at length (of time), at last, so much," from tam "so" (from PIE *tam-, adverbial form of demonstrative...pronoun root *-to-; see -th (1)) + demonstrative suffix -dem....
    that
    Old English þæt, "that, so that, after that," neuter singular demonstrative pronoun ("A Man's a Man for a' that"), relative...pronoun ("O thou that hearest prayer"), and demonstrative adjective ("Look at that caveman go!")...From Proto-Germanic *that, from PIE *tod-, extended form of demonstrative pronominal base *-to- (see -th (1))....
    the
    definite article, late Old English þe, nominative masculine form of the demonstrative pronoun and adjective....in the more the merrier, the sooner the better, etc. is a relic of Old English þy, the instrumentive case of the neuter demonstrative...
    she
    female or anything regarded as female, mid-12c., probably evolving from Old English seo, sio (accusative sie), fem. of the demonstrative...however by 13c. the pronunciation of this had converged by phonetic evolution with he "he," which apparently led to the fem. demonstrative...
    they
    c. 1200, from a Scandinavian source (Old Norse þeir, Old Danish, Old Swedish þer, þair), originally masculine plural demonstrative...pronoun, from Proto-Germanic *thai, nominative plural pronoun, from PIE *to-, demonstrative pronoun (see that)....
    et cetera
    other, other part, that which remains," from Proto-Italic *ke-etero‑, from *ke-, variant form of PIE root *ko-, the stem of demonstrative...
    their
    plural possessive pronoun, c. 1200, from Old Norse þierra "of them," genitive of plural personal and demonstrative pronoun...
    pronoun
    "word used instead of a noun to avoid repetition of it," mid-15c., from Old French pronon, pronom, and directly from Latin pronomen "word standing in place of a noun," from pro, here meaning "in place of," + nomen "name, noun" (from PIE root *no-men- "name"). The Latin word is a
    apology
    early 15c., "defense, justification," from Late Latin apologia, from Greek apologia "a speech in defense," from apologeisthai "to speak in one's defense," from apologos "an account, story," from apo "away from, off" (see apo-) + logos "speech" (see Logos). In classical Greek, "a
    realm
    c. 1300, reaume, "kingdom, domain under a sovereign, royal jurisdiction," from Old French reaume, later realme, variants (in part by influence of Old French reial "regal," from Latin  regalis) of roiaume "kingdom." This is possibly from a Gallo-Romance *regiminem, "formed as

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