Demo
/ˈdɛm.oʊ/noun
A short sample, preview, or demonstration of a product, performance, or idea.
Did you know?Demo ultimately comes from Greek deiknymi, a word-family tied to showing, pointing, and making something visible—proof that even “samples” began as an act of revelation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*deik-
“to show, point out”
Ancient Greek
Greek
deiknymi
“I show, point out, reveal”
Late Latin
Latin
demonstrāre
“to point out clearly, demonstrate”
Middle English
English
demonstracioun
“an act of showing or proving”
20th Century
English
demo
“a demonstration, sample, or preview”