demo

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈdɛm.əʊ/ (UK); /ˈdɛm.oʊ/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is a shortening of demonstration.^[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

A public political demonstration: 1936.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

A promotional music recording, short for demonstration disc, is from 1954 in the OED and by 1958 in Billboard headlines and advertisements, originally American.^[3][2] A practical demonstration of a product or computer program, and a model used for demonstration and later sold, are further senses.^[5][4] The verb, to demonstrate, is also used.^[6]

Timeline

• 1936 – a political demonstration.^[3]
• 1954 – a demo disc.^[3]
• 1958 – in Billboard.^[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A demonstration of a product, system or service.
2. A short recording made to show the qualities of a performer or song.
3. A product such as a car used for demonstration and later sold at a discount.
4. (informal) A public political demonstration.

Verb

1. To demonstrate.

Related words

• demonstration
• demonstrate

Usage notes

Demo was also an American colloquial shortening of Democrat (1793).^[3][7]

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
6. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
7. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster