1. The use of words or expressions whose meaning depends on the context of the speaker, listener, time, or place of utterance, such as pronouns (I, you, he), demonstratives (this, that), and adverbs (here, now, tomorrow).
Usage: linguistics term; from Greek deixis meaning 'pointing' or 'showing'

Examples

• The word 'I' is a classic example of deixis because its meaning changes depending on who is speaking.
• In the sentence 'Meet me here tomorrow,' the words 'here' and 'tomorrow' are deictic expressions that require context to understand.
• Deixis explains why 'this' and 'that' mean different things depending on what the speaker is pointing to.
• Understanding deixis is important for analyzing how pronouns like 'you' and 'she' shift meaning in conversation.
• The study of deixis helps linguists understand how language connects speakers to their physical and temporal surroundings.