demonstrator
UK[ˈdemənstreɪtə(r)]US[ˈdemənstreɪtər]
n
a person who takes part in a public protest or march
n
a person who shows how a piece of equipment works or how a skill is performed
n
a piece of equipment used for teaching or as a sample
Morpheme Breakdown
demonstra
tor
demonstra
show
tor
agent suffix
Etymology
The word 'demonstrator' has a clear lineage from Latin, built upon the verb demonstrare, meaning "to point out or show thoroughly". This verb itself is a compound of de-, an intensifying prefix, and monstrare, "to show", which is related to monstrum (portent, monster) — something shown as a divine sign. The suffix -tor was added to form demonstrator, an agent noun for "one who shows". Over centuries, the term evolved from its classical sense of a logical or rhetorical "shower of proof" to its modern applications, encompassing both a person who explains by showing (a teacher or salesperson) and, more prominently, one who makes a public show of opinion through protest.
Analysis
Structure: demonstra (show) + tor (agent suffix)
- demonstra: from Latin demonstrare (to point out, show), from de- (completely) + monstrare (to show). It functions as the core verb root meaning "to show".
- tor: from Latin -tor, an agent noun suffix indicating a person who performs the action of the verb. It functions as a nominalizer creating "one who shows".
Examples
The police kept a close watch on the crowd of demonstrators outside the government building.
The company hired a demonstrator to showcase the new kitchen gadget at the department store.
The science teacher used a wave demonstrator to explain the properties of sound.