Deictic
/ˈdaɪk.tɪk/noun
Relating to words or expressions whose meaning depends on context, such as 'this,' 'that,' 'here,' or 'there.'
Did you know?It comes from Greek deiktikós, from deiknýnai, meaning “to show” or “point out,” so linguists use a word rooted in pointing to describe context-dependent speech.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*deik-
“to show, point out”
Ancient Greek
GRK
deiknynai
“to show, point out, demonstrate”
Ancient Greek
GRK
deiktikós
“able to show; demonstrative”
Late 19th Century
English
deictic
“relating to demonstrative expression in language”
Modern English
English
deictic
“dependent on the context of the speaker and situation”