adjective / noun
demonstrative
dih-MAHN-struh-tiv/dɪˈmɑːnstrətɪv/
Serving to point out or display something clearly.
Her demonstrative gesture directs attention to the gears.
Etymology
From a verb meaning “to point out” or “show,” demonstrative first described making something clear or evident. In the emotional sense, what people make evident is their affection or other feelings.
In context
He was a man whose manner was naturally caressing and demonstrative, and she was to him, of all women, the sweetest, the dearest, the most perfect,--and all his own.
More examples
- The instructor makes a demonstrative gesture toward the emergency exit.
- A demonstrative pronoun like “that” points to a specific thing.
- In this sentence, “those” is a demonstrative.
Forms
demonstrative · demonstratives
demonstrate verb — To show or explain something clearly.
demonstration noun — An act of showing how something works.
Similar words
- illustrative
- Emphasizes making an idea clearer through examples or images.
- explanatory
- Focuses on explaining how or why, rather than pointing out.