deictic

[ dahyk-tik ]

adjective

1. Logic. proving directly.
2. Grammar. specifying identity or spatial or temporal location from the perspective of one or more of the participants in an act of speech or writing, in the context of either an external situation or the surrounding discourse, as we, you, here, there, now, then, this, that, the former, or the latter.

noun

1. Grammar. a deictic element.

deictic

/ ˈdaɪktɪk /

adjective

1. logic proving by direct argument Compare elenctic

noun

1. another word for indexical

Derived Forms

• ˈdeictically, adverb

Other Words From

• deicti·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of deictic¹

1820–30; < Greek deiktikós demonstrative, equivalent to deikt ( ós ) able to be proved, verbal adjective of deiknýnai to show, prove, point + -ikos -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of deictic¹

C17: from Greek deiktikos concerning proof, from deiknunai to show

Example Sentences

In more recent years, studies on other animals, such as ravens and fish, have shown that they also use some simple gestures to, for example, point out objects or show something of interest, called deictic gesturing.

From Science Daily

They also noted that the wing-fluttering "after-you" gesture was aimed at the mate and not the nest box, meaning that it wasn't being used as a deictic gesture to indicate the position of something of interest.

From Science Daily

Deictic, dīk′tik, adj. proving directly.—adv.

From Project Gutenberg

Some lawyers are successful in the elenchical mode of argument—to use a logical term—that is, in demolishing the structure of their opponents, while they fail in the deictic, that is, in raising on its ruins an impregnable fabric of their own; but it was difficult to decide which process was the most thorough in the reasoning of Tazewell.

From Project Gutenberg