Etymograph

English

demonstration

Demonstration comes from Latin dēmōnstrāre ‘show or explain’, from mōnstrum ‘a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil…’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *men- ‘to think, mind’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*men-‘to think, mind’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*monéyeti‘to cause to think, make think’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*man-eje-reconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*moneō‘to remind, warn’reconstructed
  5. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*monestromreconstructed
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōnstrum‘a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil omen, portent’
  7. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmonstrōas mōnstrāre‘show’
  8. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēmōnstrāre‘show or explain’
  9. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēmōnstrātiōnem
  10. Old Frenchc. 842–1400demonstration
  11. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500demonstracioun
  12. Englishearliest quotation 1577demonstration

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*men-‘to think, mind’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*monéyeti‘to cause to think, make think’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*man-eje-reconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*moneō‘to remind, warn’reconstructed
  5. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*monestromreconstructed
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōnstrum‘a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil omen, portent’
  7. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmonstrōas mōnstrāre‘show’
  8. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēmōnstrāre‘show or explain’
  9. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēmōnstrātiōnem
  10. Old Frenchc. 842–1400demonstration
  11. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500demonstracioun
  12. Englishearliest quotation 1577demonstration

Earliest quotation: 1577, Socrates Scholasticus [i.e., Socrates of Constantinople]: “[VV]e are able with playne demonſtration to proue, and…”

Formed from demonstrate + -ion

Latin dēmonstrō ‘to show, point at’

Latin dēmōnstrātus ‘shown, having been shown’

English demonstrate

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *men- ‘to think, mind’

music, mind, money, amount, comment, mental, museum, remain, mouth, mountain, permanent, auto, min, mount, mention, mentor, mint, maya, monetary, imminent, muse, monk, menace, ming, prominence, mas, mandarin, amnesty, mania, mosaic, eminent, monte, dementia, amnesia, manic, monastery, mantra, remnant, mont, eminence, 116 more

through Proto-Indo-European *monéyeti ‘to cause to think, make think’

summon, 14 more

through Proto-Italic *man-eje-

monumental, 14 more

through Proto-Italic *moneō ‘to remind, warn’

monitor, monument, minter, admonish, admonition, 15 more

through Latin mōnstrum ‘a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil…’

monster, monstrous, monstrosity, 8 more

through Latin monstrō ‘show’

muster, 7 more

Today it means

noun The act of demonstrating; showing or explaining something.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *men- / demonstration

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