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demonstrative

[ duh-mon-struh-tiv ]
/ dəˈmɒn strə tɪv /
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adjective
characterized by or given to open exhibition or expression of one's emotions, attitudes, etc., especially of love or affection: She wished her fiancé were more demonstrative.
serving to demonstrate; explanatory or illustrative.
serving to prove the truth of anything; indubitably conclusive.
Grammar. indicating or singling out the thing referred to. This is a demonstrative pronoun.
noun
Grammar. a demonstrative word, as this or there.
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Origin of demonstrative

1350–1400; Middle English demonstratif (<Middle French ) <Latin dēmonstrātīvus, equivalent to dēmonstrāt(us) (see demonstrate) + -īvus-ive

OTHER WORDS FROM demonstrative

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use demonstrative in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for demonstrative

demonstrative
/ (dɪˈmɒnstrətɪv) /

adjective
tending to manifest or express one's feelings easily or unreservedly
(postpositive foll by of) serving as proof; indicative
involving or characterized by demonstrationa demonstrative lecture
conclusive; indubitabledemonstrative arguments
grammar denoting or belonging to a class of determiners used to point out the individual referent or referents intended, such as this, that, these, and thoseCompare interrogative, relative
noun
grammar a demonstrative word or construction

Derived forms of demonstrative

demonstratively, adverbdemonstrativeness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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