Demonstrativus

Demonstrativus is a Latin adjective meaning "demonstrative." In linguistic and grammatical terminology, demonstrativus labels the class of words that point to a referent in space or discourse, including demonstrative adjectives and demonstrative pronouns. The term is used to describe how these words indicate reference rather than identity, distance, or proximity to the speaker.

In Latin, demonstrativus is declined as a typical second-declension adjective. Its basic forms follow the pattern demonstrativus (masculine nominative singular), demonstrativa (feminine nominative singular), demonstrativum (neuter nominative singular), with plural forms such as demonstrativi, demonstrativae, demonstrativa. As a label, demonstrativus is applied to words used to demonstrate or point to a noun or referent, rather than to a specific word itself.

Latin demonstratives include words such as hic, iste, ille, and pronouns like is, ea, id, which function as either demonstrative adjectives (agreeing with a noun) or demonstrative pronouns (standing in place of a noun). The term demonstrativus is thus a descriptive category in grammars and linguistic descriptions, not a particular lexical item.

Historically, the label appears in Latin grammars and scholarly discussions of deictic systems, helping to distinguish demonstratives from other pronouns and adjectives. The concept of demonstratives is cross-linguistic, with many languages marking proximity, distance, and discourse reference; demonstrativus serves as a Latin-specific scholarly term for this broad category.

See also: demonstrative pronoun, demonstrative adjective, Latin grammar, deictic.