English
provocative
Provocative comes from Late Latin provocativus ‘elicited’, from Latin provocō ‘to call forth, summon’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wokʷ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wokʷ-reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvocō‘call’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprovocōas provocare‘to call forth, summon’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEprovocativus‘elicited’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600provocatif
- Englishearliest quotation 1723provocative
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wokʷ-reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvocō‘call’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprovocōas provocare‘to call forth, summon’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEprovocativus‘elicited’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600provocatif
- Englishearliest quotation 1723provocative
Earliest quotation: 1723, Charles Walker: “She used by way of Provocative, to read the…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wokʷ-
vocabulary, revocation, convocation, 24 more
through Latin vocō ‘call’
invite, invitation, advocate, vie, invoke, vocational, vouch, vocation, irrevocable, revocable, 33 more
Today it means
adj Serving or tending to elicit a strong, often negative sentiment in another person; exasperating.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wokʷ- / provocative