Etymograph

English

demonstre

Demonstre comes from Middle French demonstrer ‘to demonstrate’, from Latin mōnstrō ‘to show’, 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 CEmōnstrō1‘to show’
  8. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēmonstrō2‘to show, demonstrate, prove’
  9. Old Frenchc. 842–1400demonstrer2
  10. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600demonstrer2‘to demonstrate’
  11. Englishtodaydemonstre2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin demonstro
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English demonstre

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*men-Wiktionary, Latin demonstro‘to think, mind’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*monéyetiWiktionary, Latin demonstro‘to cause to think, make think’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*man-eje-Wiktionary, Latin demonstroreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*moneōWiktionary, Latin demonstro‘to remind, warn’reconstructed
  5. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*monestromWiktionary, Latin demonstroreconstructed
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōnstrumWiktionary, Latin demonstro‘a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil omen, portent’
  7. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōnstrōWiktionary, Latin demonstro‘to show’
  8. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēmonstrōWiktionary, English demonstre‘to show, demonstrate, prove’
  9. Old Frenchc. 842–1400demonstrerWiktionary, English demonstre
  10. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600demonstrerWiktionary, English demonstre‘to demonstrate’
  11. EnglishtodaydemonstreWiktionary, English demonstre

Linked words

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

music, mind, money, amount, comment, mental, museum, mouth, mountain, permanent, mention, auto, remain, min, mount, mentor, mint, maya, monetary, imminent, muse, menace, ming, prominence, mas, mandarin, monk, amnesty, dementia, mania, mosaic, eminent, amnesia, manic, mantra, monte, monastery, mantis, eminence, mont, 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, admonition, admonish, 15 more

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

monster, monstrous, monstrosity, 8 more

through Latin mōnstrō ‘to show’

muster, 7 more

Today it means

verb To demonstrate.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “demonstre”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Latin demonstro. 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- / demonstre

Shirt and support for this word