demonstrative

/dɪˈmɑnstrəɾɪv/

/dɪˈmɒnstrətɪv/

Other forms: demonstratives

People who are demonstrative easily and clearly show their emotions. A demonstrative person might shout "Hooray" and jump for joy at good news. A non-demonstrative person might feel no less excited, but refrain from demonstrating it.

To demonstrate means to show, so think of demonstrative as showing. In legal terms, demonstrative is used to describe evidence that shows that something happened––a note that says "I did it" might show, or demonstrate, an accused person's guilt. In grammar, demonstrative pronouns––this, that, these, those––indicate the thing or person that is being pointed out, or shown, as in “Officer, it was ‘that’ man who stole my purse!”

Definitions of demonstrative

1. noun

   a pronoun that points out an intended referent
   synonyms: demonstrative pronoun

   type of:

   pronoun

   a function word that is used in place of a noun or noun phrase
2. adjective

   serving to demonstrate
   synonyms: illustrative

   informative, instructive

   serving to instruct or enlighten or inform
3. adjective

   given to or marked by the open expression of emotion
   “an affectionate and demonstrative family”

   synonyms:

   effusive, gushing, gushy

   extravagantly demonstrative

   epideictic, epideictical

   designed primarily for rhetorical display

   unreserved

   not cautious or reticent

   antonyms:

   undemonstrative

   not given to open expression of emotion

   restrained, reticent, unemotional

   cool and formal in manner

   reserved

   marked by self-restraint and reticence