deictic

UK: /ˈdaɪktɪk/ US: (dīk′tik)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

deic•tic  (dīk′tik), adj. 

1. Philosophy [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.

n. 

3. Grammar a deictic element.

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

deic′ti•cal•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

deictic / ˈdaɪktɪk/ adjective

1. proving by direct argument
   Compare elenctic

noun

1. another word for indexical2

Etymology: 17th Century: from Greek deiktikos concerning proof, from deiknunai to show