demonstro Latin · revision 7738
16 Oct 2026, 14:21 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=la moneō}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [deːˈmõː.stroː]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [deˈmɔn.stro]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''dēmōnstrō''' (present infinitive dēmōnstrāre, perfect active dēmōnstrāvī, supine dēmōnstrātum); first conjugation^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is from [[dē-]] “down, fully” and [[mōnstrō]] “to show”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL)^(Etymonline) Terence has the archaic passive infinitive ⟨dēmōnstrārier⟩.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Grammarians distinguished ⟨mōnstrāmus⟩ “we show once” from ⟨dēmōnstrāmus⟩ “we show often”.^(TLL)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of explaining events.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant to point out, indicate, as Cicero's roads shown and ''digitō dēmōnstrāre'' “to point with the finger”, and in Cicero ''fīnēs dēmōnstrāre'' to show the boundaries of land for sale.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) In Suetonius it meant to act out with gestures.^(OLD 2012) From Plautus it meant to describe, explain, and in Gaius to allege in a claim, in Celsus to define a term.^(OLD 2012) In Seneca of things it meant to indicate, in Cicero of words to designate, and in Pliny the Elder to recommend.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to show, discover, demonstrate, point out.^(Stelten 1995) It survives in Italian ''dimostrare'' and French ''démontrer'', and its participle ''dēmōnstrātus'' gave [[en|demonstrate]] in the 1550s, “to point out”.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of explaining.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of pointing out.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of showing boundaries.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 1550s – English ''demonstrate'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Verb===
+ # To point out, indicate; to act out.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To describe, explain; to allege; to define.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To indicate; to designate.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To recommend.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[dēmōnstrābilis]]
+ * [[dēmōnstrātiō]]
+ * [[dēmōnstrātīvus]]
+ * [[dēmōnstrātor]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[mōnstrō]]
+ * [[en|demonstrate]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}