demonstrative

/dɪˈmɒn.stɹə.tɪv/

//dɪˈmɒn.stɹə.tɪv// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"demonstrative" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“demonstrative” has 20 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #45,323. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#45,323
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
20
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - That serves to demonstrate, show or prove.

Corpus desk

Index EN-demonstrative · demonstrative · English

demonstrative · rank #45,323 · 20 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #45,323
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 20 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH demonstrable

Nearest frequency peer: demonstrable (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “demonstrative”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “demonstrative” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

demonstrative vs demonstrate
85% similar
demonstrative vs demonstration
85% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for demonstrative
PropertyValue
Headworddemonstrative
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/dɪˈmɒn.stɹə.tɪv/
Letters13
Frequency rank#45,323
Misspellings tracked20
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “demonstrative”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).demonstrativelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “demonstrable” (#45,322), “despairing” (#45,324), “declarative” (#45,320). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “demonstrative” is #45,323. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 20 spelling variants around demonstrative (IPA /dɪˈmɒn.stɹə.tɪv/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #45,323 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 20 likely wrong-spelling variants for demonstrative, with forms such as "ddemonstrative", "demmonstrative", and "demnostrative". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "demonstrate", "demonstration", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English demonstratif, from Middle French démonstratif, from Latin dēmōnstrātīvus. Equivalent to demonstrate + -ive. The correct English form is demonstrative, spelled D-E-M-O-N-S-T-R-A-T-I-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    That serves to demonstrate, show or prove.
  2. 2
    Given to open displays of emotion.
  3. 3
    That specifies the thing or person referred to.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how demonstrative appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. an argument necessary and demonstrative
  2. demonstrative eloquence

Etymology

From Middle English demonstratif, from Middle French démonstratif, from Latin dēmōnstrātīvus. Equivalent to demonstrate + -ive.

This word in other languages

demostrativo(Español)démonstratif(Français)demonstrativ(Deutsch)demonstrativo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ddemonstrative
  • demmonstrative
  • demnostrative
  • demonnstrative
  • demonsrtative
  • demonsstrative
  • demonstartive
  • demonstraitve
  • demonstratiev
  • demonstrativve
  • demonstrattive
  • demonstratvie
  • demonstrrative
  • demonstrtaive
  • demonsttrative
  • demontsrative
  • demosntrative
  • deomnstrative
  • dmeonstrative
  • edmonstrative

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of demonstrative - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddemonstrative1demmonstrative1demnostrative2demonnstrative1demonsrtative2demonsstrative1demonstartive2demonstraitve2
Edit distance from "demonstrative"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "demonstrative"?
"demonstrative" is spelled D-E-M-O-N-S-T-R-A-T-I-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈmɒn.stɹə.tɪv/.
What does "demonstrative" mean?
As an adjective, "demonstrative" means: That serves to demonstrate, show or prove.
What words are commonly confused with "demonstrative"?
"demonstrative" is commonly confused with "demonstrate", "demonstration". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "demonstrative"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "demonstrative" is /dɪˈmɒn.stɹə.tɪv/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "demonstrative"?
From Middle English demonstratif, from Middle French démonstratif, from Latin dēmōnstrātīvus. Equivalent to demonstrate + -ive. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "demonstrative", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 13 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

dismemberment#45,333infinitesimal#45,449reintegration#45,623renegotiation#45,625

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (20 here; floor ≥5).

demonstrable20 variantsintercollegiate20 variantsglorification20 variantsexpropriation20 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list