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-1‘to think, mind’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*monéyeti1‘to cause to think, make think’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*man-eje-1reconstructed
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*moneō1‘to remind, warn’reconstructed
  5. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*monestrom1reconstructed
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōnstrum1‘a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil omen, portent’
  7. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmonstrō2as mōnstrāre‘show’
  8. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēmōnstrāre2‘show or explain’
  9. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēmōnstrātiōnem2
  10. Old Frenchc. 842–1400demonstration2
  11. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500demonstracioun2
  12. Englishearliest quotation 1577demonstration2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin monstro
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English demonstration
  3. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1577, Socrates Scholasticus [i.e., Socrates of Constantinople]: “[VV]e are able with playne demonſtration to proue, and…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*men-Wiktionary, Latin monstro‘to think, mind’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*monéyetiWiktionary, Latin monstro‘to cause to think, make think’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*man-eje-Wiktionary, Latin monstroreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*moneōWiktionary, Latin monstro‘to remind, warn’reconstructed
  5. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*monestromWiktionary, Latin monstroreconstructed
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōnstrumWiktionary, Latin monstro‘a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil omen, portent’
  7. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmonstrōWiktionary, English demonstrationas mōnstrāre‘show’
  8. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēmōnstrāreWiktionary, English demonstration‘show or explain’
  9. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēmōnstrātiōnemWiktionary, English demonstration
  10. Old Frenchc. 842–1400demonstrationWiktionary, English demonstration
  11. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500demonstraciounWiktionary, English demonstration
  12. Englishearliest quotation 1577demonstrationWiktionary, English demonstration. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1577, Socrates Scholasticus [i.e., Socrates of Constantinople]: “[VV]e are able with playne demonſtration to proue, and…”

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, 112 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.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “demonstration”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Latin monstro. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

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

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