*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of demo

Clipping of demonstration and various other words beginning with "demo-".

4 source sectionsBrief source recordWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 4 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1 · variant 1/2

Original entry ↗
noun

A demonstration or visual explanation. · A recording of a song meant to demonstrate its overall sound for the purpose of getting it published or recorded more fully. · An example of a product used for demonstration and then sold at a discount. · A march or gathering to make a political protest.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Clipping of demonstration and various other words beginning with "demo-".

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

This page abbreviates 5 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "root",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*men- (think)"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "clipping",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "demonstration"
      },
      "expansion": "Clipping of demonstration"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "demonstration",
      "demonstration#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "lang_code": "pt",
      "word": "demo",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A demonstration or visual explanation.",
        "A recording of a song meant to demonstrate its overall sound for the purpose of getting it published or recorded more fully.",
        "An example of a product used for demonstration and then sold at a discount.",
        "A march or gathering to make a political protest."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
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    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
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    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 5,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 1 · variant 2/2

Original entry ↗
adj

designed to test consumers' interest in a retail item prior to purchasing.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Clipping of demonstration and various other words beginning with "demo-".

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "root",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*men- (think)"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "clipping",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "demonstration"
      },
      "expansion": "Clipping of demonstration"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "demonstration",
      "demonstration#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "adj",
      "glosses": [
        "designed to test consumers' interest in a retail item prior to purchasing."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "recordId": "b68cbd68aef316d62ec926ec79651c6b177bca0a903a55880e78e74320818ed4",
      "rawRecordSha256": "8cd08e58ab847304c67c73a47c5f58aefb2687196bcdd7546b5363a029feb914",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 157972
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
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    "descendants": 0,
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    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
verb

To record a demo version of (a song). · To demonstrate.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Clipping of demonstrate.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "clipping",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "demonstrate"
      },
      "expansion": "Clipping of demonstrate"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "demonstrate",
      "demonstrate#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To record a demo version of (a song).",
        "To demonstrate."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal",
        "transitive"
      ],
      "recordId": "5ca5138ca9f0c5c2a36d1ecbd38e596c084079840dc2f8006811c1349f7f1fe8",
      "rawRecordSha256": "033fe15de9ce26698cc7176b5307916c4f70c6f6d22642fae1767e658e4603d7",
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  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗
verb

To demolish (especially a house or fixture).

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Clipping of demolish.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "clipping",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "demolish"
      },
      "expansion": "Clipping of demolish"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "demolish",
      "demolish#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To demolish (especially a house or fixture)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
      "recordId": "2a82911d51d1bc4e8f775719908108a8c5ad8608dc0ca17395e0c7133dd55a6c",
      "rawRecordSha256": "470e281c1dd8e258eb69e1f96d0fce03f425faa1461e0aaaf88e94ece6000e24",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 157974
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
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    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for demo →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-ZGVtbw