Etymology
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provocation (n.)

c. 1400, provocacioun, "incitement, urging," from Old French provocacion (12c.) and directly from Latin provocationem (nominative provocatio) "a calling forth, a summoning, a challenge," noun of action from past-participle stem of provocare "to call out" (see provoke). Specifically "act of exciting anger or vexation" (early 15c.); the meaning "anything that excites anger, a cause of resentment" is by 1716.

Entries linking to provocation

provoke (v.)

late 14c., provoken, in medicine, "to induce" (sleep, vomiting, etc.), "to stimulate" (appetite), from Old French provoker, provochier (12c., Modern French provoquer) and directly from Latin provocare "call forth, challenge," from pro "forth" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward") + vocare "to call," which is related to vox (genitive vocis) "voice" (from PIE root *wekw- "to speak"). Related: Provoked; provoking. The general sense of "urge, incite, stimulate to action" is from c. 1400.

updated on December 27, 2020

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Dictionary entries near provocation

provisioner

provisions

proviso

provocate

provocateur

provocation

provocative

provoke

provoking

provolone

provost

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