1. In a manner that uses or depends on deixis; by means of words or expressions whose meaning is determined by the context of utterance (such as 'I', 'here', 'now', or 'this').
Usage: linguistics, formal

Examples

• The speaker used the pronoun 'I' deictically to refer to herself.
• In the sentence 'Meet me here tomorrow,' the words 'here' and 'tomorrow' function deictically.
• Deictically, the meaning of 'this' depends entirely on what the speaker is pointing to.
• The linguist explained how demonstratives like 'that' operate deictically in conversation.
• Personal pronouns such as 'you' and 'we' are understood deictically based on who is speaking and listening.