demonstrativeadj.n.
/dᵻˈmɒnstrətɪv/, U.S. /dᵻˈmɑnstrədɪv/, /dᵻˈmɑnstrəˌtɪv/ A. adj.
1.
a. That establishes the truth or existence of something; serving as proof or evidence. In later use frequently with of. In early use with the sense of providing conclusive proof; later also with the weaker sense of affording supporting evidence (hence sometimes overlapping with sense A. 4a); cf. note at demonstration n. 1.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > proof, demonstration > [adjective]
demonstrativec1405
showablea1500
declarativea1536
showing1552
probatory1593
convictive1634
verifying1634
evincing1641
demonstrating1648
endeictic1656
probative1678
substantiative1794
proving1824
demonstrational1833
verificatory1834
verificative1860
c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer Summoner's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 564 Ye shal seen..By proue which that is demonstratyf [c1405 Ellesmere demonstratif] That equally the soun of it wol wende..vn to the spokes ende.
c1456 R. Pecock Bk. Faith (Trin. Cambr.) (1909) 167 Bi feith a man more sadlier cleeveth to an article than he dooth to eny treuthe, wherof he hath surest demonstrative proof.
1596 W. Lambarde Perambulation of Kent (rev. ed.) 334 The vertue of holy water (in putting the Diuell to flight) was confirmed at Motindene by a demonstratiue argument.
1647 N. Bacon Hist. Disc. Govt. 8 The first of which is cried down by many demonstrative instances.
1692 J. Ray Wisdom of God (ed. 2) i. 2 A demonstrative Proof of the..fœcundity of his Wisdom and Power.
1794 R. Gough Acct. Rich Illuminated Missal 13 This picture is a demonstrative proof, in my opinion, that at the time..the saw was considered as the instrument of his martyrdom.
1807 G. Chalmers Caledonia I. i. iv. 117 These military works..are equally demonstrative of their skill, and creditable to their perseverance.
1842 N. Amer. Rev. Apr. 387 Descartes fancied, that he had found a demonstrative proof of the being of a God.
1855 Ess. Intuit. Mor. ii. 43 Another point..demonstrative of God's providence.
1919 A. E. Hertzler Peritoneum II. ii. xix. 516 Numerous papers appeared which seemed clearly demonstrative of the truth.
1993 Times 5 July 19/5 If Sampras's power was the more convincing, we had to wait until the first set tie-break, which he took 7-3, for demonstrative proof.
2012 S. Harris Free Will 16 If you want a second scoop of ice cream and no one is forcing you to eat it, then eating a second scoop is fully demonstrative of your freedom of will.
b. Chiefly Logic, Philosophy, and Mathematics. Of a method, argument, etc.: that uses logical reasoning or deduction; involving logical demonstration. In early use chiefly in the science demonstrative: the science of logic.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > proof, demonstration > [adjective] > logically, directly
ostensivec1570
demonstrative1581
scientifical1588
scientific1637
deictical1638
scientificial1646
monstrative1653
deictic1828
?a1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (N.Y. Acad. Med.) f. 2 (MED) He [sc. Galen] was most forsoþ in science demonstratiue [L. scientia demonstratiua] in tyme of Antonii emperour.
1477 Earl Rivers tr. Dictes or Sayengis Philosophhres (Caxton) (1877) lf. 62v Galyen..in hys youth he desired greetly to knowe the science demonstratiue.
1581 R. Mulcaster Positions xli. 246 Logicke, for her demonstratiue part, plaieth the Grammer to the Mathematicalles.
1660 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. III. i. 82 The common Sciences, as the demonstrative, the definitive, the divisive.
1736 Bp. J. Butler Analogy of Relig. Introd. p. i Probable Evidence is essentially distinguished from demonstrative by this, that it admits of Degrees.
1747 H. Knight Being & Attrib. God ii. iv. 179 The proof of the being and perfections of God being so plain, full, various, and strictly demonstrative, [etc.].
1864 F. C. Bowen Treat. Logic ii. 34 Logic, as it proceeds from axiomatic principles,..is a purely demonstrative science.
a1915 J. C. Wilson Statement & Inference (1926) II. iv. i. 589 Clearly the argument is demonstrative, and the inductionists..would be obliged to call it deduction.
1945 National Math. Mag. 19 408 Original exercises in demonstrative geometry, to develop power and confidence in problem-analysis, reflective thinking and deductive inference.
1954 G. Polya Induction & Analogy in Math. Pref. p. v We secure our mathematical knowledge by demonstrative reasoning, but we support our conjectures by plausible reasoning.
2004 A. Bailey First Philos. II. iii. 162/2 We can know that the conclusion of a demonstrative argument is true (indeed, necessarily true) without knowing anything about the actual world.
c. Supported by proof or evidence; capable of being proved; demonstrable.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > proof, demonstration > [adjective] > capable of being proved
provably1395
provablea1425
monstrablec1429
probable1485
demonstrable1551
justifiable1580
averrable1588
verifiable1593
ostentative1601
remonstrable1604
affirmable1611
demonstrative1612
showablea1617
deducible1617
declarable1646
evidenceable1660
evincible1761
demonstratable1814
establishable1918
1612 T. Wilson Christian Dict. To bee infallibly assured of a thing, by demonstratiue certainety.
1665 T. Herbert Some Years Trav. (new ed.) 188 'Tis demonstrative that salt waters have much more heat than fresh waters have.
1725 J. Sedgwick New Treat. Liquors i. 2 The universal Aim, with regard to Medical Use, has been to reduce its [sc. Matter] Operations and Modifications, to the highest demonstrative Certainty.
1798 T. R. Malthus Ess. Princ. Population v. 81 It is a demonstrative truth.
1806 C. Hutton Course Math. I. 2 A Theorem is a demonstrative proposition; in which some property is asserted, and the truth of it required to be proved.
1863 C. C. Clarke Shakespeare-characters iv. 106 We have passed into an age of practicality and demonstrative knowledge.
1906 G. T. Ladd Philos. Relig. II. iv. xxvii. 24 The other way of getting at God, through the postulates of the practical reason rather than through a demonstrative conclusion based upon phenomena of an external and physical sort, [etc.].
1996 S. Shapin Sci. Revol. iii. 120 Mathematics evidently could deliver on its promises of demonstrative certainty.
2. Grammar. Indicating the location (spatially, temporally, or abstractly) of something or someone in relation to the discourse context. Formerly also more generally: †indicating the person or thing referred to (obsolete). Frequently in demonstrative pronoun n., demonstrative determiner n., demonstrative adjective n., demonstrative adverb n. at Compounds.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > study of grammar > a part of speech > other parts of speech > [adjective] > demonstrative
demonstrativec1450
c1450 in D. Thomson Middle Eng. Grammatical Texts (1984) 36 Whenne is ipse demonstratyf? Whenne ipse is y-sette wyth a substantyf in the same reson, as: Ipse homo currit.
1520 R. Whittington Uulgaria sig. B.iiij Whan a nowne demonstratyue is referred to the hole sentens folowynge, hit shal be the neutre gendre synguler nombre.
1668 Bp. J. Wilkins Ess. Real Char. iii. ii. §3. 305 As this or that man or book..in these cases the Pronouns are commonly called Demonstrative.
1793 J. Haywood Short Grammatical Introd. Eng. Tongue 25 This Article [sc. the definite article the], by some Authors, is justly called a demonstrative Article.
1883 A. B. Davidson Introd. Hebrew Gram. (ed. 6) 78 The letter n, having demonstrative force, is often inserted.
1979 Internat. Jrnl. Amer. Linguistics 45 234/2 In nonattributive demonstrative function, compare Hidatsa ku(a) and Crow ko·(t) that.
2010 C. Cortès in I. Bril Clause Linking & Clause Hierarchy 426 The demonstrative markers das, den, dem..can be used either as pronouns (substitutes), as articles heading a noun phrase or as correlative markers.
3. Rhetoric. Of speech or writing: of a form used on ceremonial occasions to commend or censure someone or something. Also called epideictic. In Aristotelian rhetoric commonly contrasted with judicial and deliberative modes; cf. judicial adj. 7, quot. 1553 at deliberative adj. 2.
ΚΠ
?1520 A. Barclay in tr. Sallust Cron. Warre agaynst Iugurth Table of Contents sig. a.iiiv/2 Which orison is demonstratyue: contaynyng the laude and prayse of Maryus: and dysprayse and blames of the noble men of Rome.
1553 T. Wilson Arte of Rhetorique 6 b The oracion demonstratiue standeth either in praise or dispraise of some one man, or of some one thyng.
1576 A. Fleming Panoplie Epist. Epitome sig. Aj An epistle demonstrative consisteth in these two points, namely, commendation and dispraise.
?1637 T. Hobbes tr. Aristotle Briefe Art Rhetorique i. 31 In a Demonstrative Oration, the subject whereof is Praise, or Dispraise; the proofes are to be drawne from the Elements of Honourable, and Dishonorable.
a1677 I. Barrow Treat. Pope's Supremacy (1680) 105 Eloquent men do never more exceed in their indulgence to fancy, then in the demonstrative kind..in their commendations of persons.
1776 G. Campbell Philos. of Rhetoric I. Introd. 19 Three sorts of orations..the deliberative, the judiciary and the demonstrative.
1783 H. Blair Lect. Rhetoric II. xxvii. 46 The chief subjects of Demonstrative Eloquence, were Panegyrics, Invectives, Gratulatory and Funeral Orations.
1848 B. H. Smart Man. Rhetoric 2 Demonstrative speeches, such as eulogies, lectures, and doctrinal sermons, do not immediately propose to move the will.
1920 T. Petersson Cicero xii. 392 Demonstrative oratory, requiring no proofs, was the least difficult; and may therefore be treated first.
2010 V. Cox in J. M. Najemy Cambr. Compan. Machiavelli xi. 178 In the division among three genres of classical rhetoric, a florid and elaborate style was conventionally seen as appropriate principally to the demonstrative genre.
4.
a. That makes something readily apparent or understood; illustrative.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > manifestation > manifestness > [adjective]
sutelc897
openeOE
ebera975
graithc1325
broadc1374
plainc1375
clearc1380
grossc1380
manifest1385
notoire1409
patent1508
sensible?1531
discovered1537
plain as a pikestaff (also packstaff, pad-staff)1542
palpable1545
demonstrative1552
plain as the nose on (in) one's face1560
illustrate1562
appearing1566
notorious1581
obvious1583
unshadowed1593
transparent1597
liquid1610
visible1614
pellucid1644
illustrious1654
apertive1661
conspectable1727
suggestive1806
1552 T. Wilson Rule of Reason (rev. ed.) sig. Hviij A demonstratiue, or shewyng reduccion.
1616 R. Waller in Lismore Papers (1887) 2nd Ser. II. 19 Some demonstrative token proportionable to the large favor wherwithall you haue vouchsafed to giue me.
1695 J. Dryden tr. R. de Piles in tr. C. A. Du Fresnoy De Arte Graphica 81 Painting..is necessary to all other Arts, because of the need which they have of demonstrative Figures, which often give more Light to the Understanding than the clearest discourses.
1706 J. Weaver (title) Orchesography, or the art of dancing by characters and demonstrative figures.
1848 Child's Friend Jan. 192 A demonstrative gesture, accompanied with the customary syllable, Hu! Hu! made us turn our heads towards an excavation of the rock.
1879 Practitioner 22 91 An extremely demonstrative view could be had of the structures in the deeper layers, for..the different layers of cells were beautifully isolated.
1905 Ann. Gynecol. & Pediatry Nov. 562 The author would seem to be the first to..give..specific histological descriptions of them [sc. different forms of metritis] with clearly demonstrative figures.
2005 O. King We’re All in this Together 118 ‘I need more ice!’ He smiled and gave the empty highball a demonstrative shake.
b. Given to or characterized by open expression of feelings, intentions, etc.; (now) esp. unrestrained in showing affection; effusive, unreserved.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > manifestation of emotion > [adjective] > given to or marked by exhibition of emotion
expressivea1616
expansive1659
demonstrative1798
gushy1845
effusive1855
gushing1859
sharing1994
1798 European Mag. Nov. 295/1 A kind of an alehouse Aristophanes began singing before us, with the most demonstrative gestures and great freedom of expression, songs not very spiritual.
1819 Metropolis (ed. 2) III. 252 No fulsomeness of public and demonstrative tenderness, on his part, ever puts me to the blush.
1832 Examiner 241/2 The middle party in the House have been sufficiently demonstrative of their purposes.
1872 C. Darwin Expression Emotions Man & Animals xi. 265 Englishmen are much less demonstrative than the men of most other European nations.
1911 P. Gibbon Margaret Harding 5 The Kafir dog is not a demonstrative animal, and his snuffle meant much.
1970 G. F. Newman Sir, you Bastard viii. 209 He couldn't remember rowing. Rows were usually loud demonstrative things.
1993 J. Green It: Sex since Sixties 17 Back then we were all very demonstrative. Putting arms around total strangers, giving them a hug, offering them biscuits.
2011 M. Meagher & L. D. Gragg John F. Kennedy ii. 7 Rose had a distant personality, and she found it difficult to be emotionally demonstrative.
5. Of or relating to the teaching of something, esp. a science, by practical example or experiment. Cf. demonstrator n. 3a, demonstration n. 5a.
ΘΚΠ
society > education > teaching > [adjective] > other methods of teaching
scholastical?a1475
scholastic1483
maieutic1656
maieutical1678
demonstrative1805
peripatetic1890
free activity1929
hypnopaedic1932
show-and-tell1945
audio-active1958
programmed1958
audio-lingual1959
mother tongue1960
immersion1965
distance-based1979
1805 Philadelphia Med. & Physical Jrnl. 2 205 These demonstrative lectures [on natural history] are delivered in the extensive and valuable Museum of Mr. Peale.
1814 Philos. Mag. 44 305 (title) Demonstrative Course of Lectures on Drs. Gall and Spurzheim's Physiognomonical System.
1844 Boston Med. & Surg. Jrnl. 16 Oct. 223 That most essential of all departments, demonstrative anatomy.
1879 Pop. Sci. Monthly Jan. 396/1 A course of demonstrative lessons in cookery in New York.
1907 Q. Bull. Northwestern Univ. Med. School Sept. 207 A demonstrative course on the cadaver is given each month.
1995 E. Stevens Gram. of Machine iii. 51 Attempts to popularize science through formal and demonstrative lectures.
6. That makes a point, esp. by way of protest, rebuke, etc.
ΚΠ
1867 Owl 20 Nov. 4/2 Even on occasions of international importance..he denies his sanction by a demonstrative absence.
1909 Observer 3 Jan. 10/3 After the demonstrative departure of the Opposition the Octobrist leader..made a short speech in favour of the rejection of the resolution.
1962 L. Binder Iran v. 294 More important..are demonstrative protests, for instance, the march of the actors and singers on the ministry of finance, in protest against the new income tax regulation.
1983 Stars & Stripes 4 Aug. 8/3 Let the common element of the celebrations for all of Poland be a demonstrative refusal to use municipal transportation.
2005 L. M. Bogad Electoral Guerilla Theatre Notes 213 After being nastily upbraided by the Mayor himself, he protested with demonstrative silence for six months.
B. n. Grammar.
A word used to indicate the location (spatially, temporally, or abstractly) of something or someone in relation to the discourse context; esp. a demonstrative pronoun or determiner (as, in English, this, that, these, those). Formerly also more generally: †a word used to indicate the person or thing referred to (as, for example, a personal pronoun or a determiner) (obsolete). Cf. sense A. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > study of grammar > a part of speech > other parts of speech > [noun] > demonstrative
demonstrativec1450
deictic1964
c1450 in D. Thomson Middle Eng. Grammatical Texts (1984) 36 How many pronounes be ther?.. How many of these primityfys be demonstratyfys?
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 75 Demonstratives simple is only ce.
1591 R. Percyvall Bibliotheca Hispanica Gram. sig. B4v Of pronounes..some are called demonstratiues, because they shew a thing not spoken of before: as yo, tu, si, aquel, este, el.
1606 G. Chapman Monsieur D'Oliue iv. i. F 3 I haue learned but three sorts [of pronouns]; the Goade, the Fulham, and the Stop-kater-tre; which are all demonstratiues.
1653 R. Lloyd Latine Gram. 23 Pronounes considered at large, are of two kinds, either Demonstratives..or Relatives.
1726 P. Pineda Short & Compend. Method learning Spanish Lang. 248 As I have already given a Definition, and made a Division of these Demonstratives..I shall therefore only put here their Termination and their Use in the Spanish Language.
1768 A. Vieyra New Portuguese Gram. 35 There are three principal demonstratives in Portuguese, viz. este, this; esse, that; aquelle, that.
1833 L. J. A. McHenry Spanish Gram. 42 Possessives and demonstratives are used in Spanish both as adjectives and as pronouns.
1875 R. Morris Hist. Eng. Gram. (1877) 114 The Demonstratives are the, that, this, such, so, same, yon.
1911 F. Boas Handbk. Amer. Indian Langs. (U.S. Bureau Amer. Ethnol. Bull. No. 40) I. 949 Demonstratives are usually adverbialized by means of another particle.
1995 C. E. Schweitzer in F. W. Carové Kinderleben 52 Carové..continues with a phrase in which the initial das is a demonstrative.
Compounds
demonstrative adjective n. Grammar an adjective used to indicate its referent's location (spatially, temporally, or abstractly) in relation to the discourse context (as, in English, this, that, these, those).Demonstrative adjective (which is considered the traditional term) is now often used equivalently with demonstrative determiner n.
ΚΠ
1711 J. Greenwood Ess. Pract. Eng. Gram. 268 This is an Adjective... And it is a Demonstrative Adjective.
1784 R. Labutte French Gramm. iii. 15 Ce, cet, cette, this, or that; ces, these, or those, are the only demonstrative adjectives.
1847 D. C. Allen Grammatic Guide ii. iv. 26 Demonstrative Adjectives precisely point out the objects to which they refer;—as, ‘Let us investigate this subject.’
1874 Jrnl. Women's Educ. Union 15 Sept. 138/1 In Adams's ‘Rudiments’ we find ‘the’ classed both as a demonstrative pronoun and as a demonstrative adjective.
1920 E. B. Davison Master Let. Writer v. i. 315 Demonstrative adjectives point out.
1987 Times 13 Apr. 14/6 If at all possible you must put an article or demonstrative adjective or determiner before a noun to identify the word as a noun for the unwary.
2003 R. L. Williams 20th-cent. Spanish-Amer. Novel 29 Pocaterra regularly uses demonstrative adjectives that lure the reader into assuming a role of experience shared with the narrator.
demonstrative adverb n. Grammar an adverb (or word formerly considered to be an adverb) used to indicate the location (spatially, temporally, or abstractly) of an event or situation in relation to the discourse context.
ΚΠ
1650 E. Leigh Annot. New Test. 24 All the Three Evangelists begin this History of Jairus, with the particle Behold, which yet here is not a Demonstrative adverbe, but rather an adverbe of admiration.
1662 J. Howell New Eng. Gram. 162 (heading) Demonstratif Adverbs.
1680 R. Mayhew Tria Sunt Omnia i. iii. 37 The trial of the Woman of Canaan..is introduced with a demonstrative Adverb, behold: Behold, a woman of Canaan.
1765 W. Ward Ess. Gram. 430 The points or periods of time to which the demonstrative adverbs of time relate, are all determined as the points or periods are to which the definitive verbs relate.
1809 G. H. Noehden Exercises for Writing German i. viii. 161 After a relative adverb, the corresponding term ought to be a demonstrative adverb, thus: ‘Where hope remains, there may evils mended be.’
1891 Mind 16 194 Signs, such as..demonstrative adverbs, &c., have for their general meaning only an extremely abstract form of localisation in respect of place or time.
1916 E. A. Sonnenschein New Eng. Gram. ii. 28 Demonstrative adverbs point out, like demonstrative pronouns and demonstrative adjectives.
1978 V. Forrest-Thomson Poetic Artifice i. 34 Personal pronouns rank with demonstrative adverbs and adjectives..in the category of what those concerned with linguistics call ‘shifters’ or ‘deictics’.
2004 S. C. Levinson in L. Horn & G. Ward Handbk. Pragmatics v. 116 Languages with a speaker-anchored distance series of demonstrative pronouns will also have a speaker-centred series of demonstrative adverbs.
demonstrative determiner n. Grammar a determiner used to indicate its referent's location (spatially, temporally, or abstractly) in relation to the discourse context (as, in English, this, that, these, those, in, for example, I like that hat, Who are those people?); cf. demonstrative adjective n.
ΚΠ
1962 T. H. Mueller & E. Mayer Struct. of French 89 (heading) Demonstrative determiner (this child, that lady, those children, these ladies).
1984 D. J. Young Introd. Eng. Gram. Gloss. 92/1 The words this, that, these and those are demonstrative determiners; they identify the referent by means of referring to its proximity to, or remoteness from, the speaker.
2009 N. J. Enfield Anat. of Meaning ii. 31 All languages have at least one demonstrative determiner.
demonstrative legacy n. Law a legacy which is directed to be paid from a specified fund or pool.
ΚΠ
1789 W. Brown Rep. High Court Chancery 2 111 In the civil law, there is a distinction taken between a demonstrative legacy, where the testator gives a general legacy, but points out the fund to satisfy it, and a taxative legacy, where he bequeaths a particular thing.
1892 L. Goodeve Mod. Law of Real Prop. 394 A demonstrative legacy is one which is in its nature a general legacy, but is directed by the testator to be paid out of a particular fund.
2009 C. Thomas Forsyth's Guide Trust & Estate Pract. (ed. 6) iii. 38 The demonstrative legacy cannot be abated until the indicated source of payment has been exhausted.
demonstrative pronoun n. (also †pronoun demonstrative) Grammar a pronoun used to indicate its referent's location (spatially, temporally, or abstractly) in relation to the discourse context (as, in English, this, that, these, those, in, for example, that is my hat); (formerly also more generally) †a pronoun or other word used to indicate the person or thing referred to (as, for example, a personal pronoun or a determiner) (obsolete). [After post-classical Latin pronomen demonstrativum (from 4th cent. in grammarians); compare Anglo-Norman pronoun demonstratif, Middle French, French pronom démonstratif (a1339 or earlier), Spanish †pronomen demostrativo (second half of the 15th cent.), pronombre demostrativo (1492).]
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > study of grammar > a part of speech > pronoun > [noun] > other specific types of pronoun
relativec1400
demonstrative pronounc1525
question word1878
object pronoun1885
pronoun object1889
common-sex pronoun1922
non-personal1925
c1525 T. Linacre Rudimenta Grammatices sig. c3 A pronowne demonstratiue is that, that sheweth a thynge, as ego, tu, hic, ille.
1564 A. Bacon tr. J. Jewel Apol. Churche Eng. sig. E.viv Some wil haue it that when Christ did speake those fiue woordes, the materiall wheaten bread was pointed by this demonstratiue Pronoune, hoc.
1638 D. Featley Transubstant. Exploded 177 The demonstrative pronounes doe not demonstrate that which is, but that which will be.
1713 W. Aylmer Recantation-serm. 14 The Demonstrative Pronoun This [in This is my body].
1835 J. Marcet Mary's Gram. ii. ix. 250 When we use the demonstrative pronoun, it seems as if we were pointing our finger to show the things we were speaking of.
1841 R. G. Latham Eng. Lang. ii. vi. 225 The Demonstrative Pronouns are, 1. He, she, it. 2. This, that. 3. The Article the.
1961 Times 27 Feb. 13/4 His answer [sc. ‘This is self-evident, this must be’]..is fair evidence of the popularity which this indispensable but otherwise undistinguished little demonstrative pronoun is enjoying.
2009 W. L. Belcher Writing your Jrnl. Article in Twelve Weeks 245 Search for this and these and those. These demonstrative pronouns often appear alone, leaving their meaning unclear.
demonstrative root n. Grammar a linguistic root (root n.1 16a) with the function of a demonstrative.
ΚΠ
1836 Q. Rev. Sept. 57/1 The Greek τι, from the demonstrative root TA, and Latin que, from the relative KA, are apparently of parallel import.
1865 E. B. Tylor Res. Early Hist. Mankind iv. 61 The demonstrative roots, a small class of independent radicals.
1914 Amer. Jrnl. Semitic Langs. & Lit. 31 6 All undoubted Semitic relatives (originally demonstratives) are traceable to the two demonstrative roots ta and da.
2004 D. S. Bhat Pronouns (2007) i. iii. 77 Nunggubuyu..has four different demonstrative roots, ya:- ‘proximate’, da- ‘immediate’, yuwa:- ‘distant’, and ba- ‘anaphoric’ that can..form demonstrative pronouns.
demonstrative syllogism n. (also †syllogism demonstrative) [after post-classical Latin syllogismus demonstrativus (5th or 6th cent. in Boethius); compare Middle French, French syllogisme demonstratif (1571 or earlier)] Logic a syllogism in which the necessary truth of both premises is known or demonstrable.
ΚΠ
1599 T. Blundeville Art of Logike 118 They deuide a simple Sillogisme, according to the matter of the Propositions, whereof it is made into three kindes, that is into a Syllogisme Demonstratiue, Dialecticall, and Sophisticall.
1624 N. De Lawne tr. P. Du Moulin Elements Logick v. ii. 163 A demonstratiue Syllogisme [Fr. le Syllogisme demonstratif] is that which prooveth that the attribute of the conclusion is truely attributed vnto the subject.
1788 T. Taylor Diss. Platonic Doctr. Ideas in tr. Proclus Philos. & Math. Comm. I. p. xl This demonstrative syllogism differs not a little from others.
1889 R. F. Clarke Logic iii. viii. 419 Certitude, the offspring of what we have called the Demonstrative Syllogism, Opinion of the Probable Syllogism, and Error of the Sophistical Syllogism.
1996 Hist. Philos. Q. 13 181 The major premise is true by definition of this concept...The minor premise is also necessary. That makes the conclusion necessary. We therefore have a demonstrative syllogism.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2014; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.n.c1405