adj. 1. Logic Directly proving by argument. 2. Linguistics Of or relating to a word, the determination of whose referent is dependent on the context in which it is said or written. In the sentence I want him to come here now, the words I, here, him, and now are deictic because the determination of their referents depends on who says that sentence, and where, when, and of whom it is said. n. A deictic word, such as I or there. [Greek deiktikos, from deiktos, able to show directly, from deiknunai, to show; see deik- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] deicti·cal·ly adv. |
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