English
provocateur
Provocateur comes from French provocateur ‘provocative, inflammatory’, from Latin provocator ‘challenger (in combat)’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wokʷ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wokʷ-reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvocō‘to call, summon, beckon’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōvocō‘call forth, challenge, provoke’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprovocatoras provocātōrem‘challenger (in combat)’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentprovocateur‘provocative, inflammatory’
- Englishearliest quotation 2007same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wokʷ-reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvocō‘to call, summon, beckon’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōvocō‘call forth, challenge, provoke’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprovocatoras provocātōrem‘challenger (in combat)’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentprovocateur‘provocative, inflammatory’
- Englishearliest quotation 2007same form
Earliest quotation: 2007, Daniel J. Wakin, City Opera Lures Director From Paris: “Gerard Mortier, an iconoclastic impresario and one of the…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wokʷ-
vocabulary, revocation, convocation, 24 more
through Latin vocō ‘to call, summon, beckon’
invite, invitation, advocate, vie, invoke, vocational, vouch, vocation, irrevocable, revocable, 33 more
Today it means
noun One who engages in provocative behavior.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wokʷ- / provocateur