provoke

/pɹəˈvəʊk/pruh-VOHK

/pɹəˈvoʊk/pruh-VOHK

Meaningto call forth

Common meaning: to stir up a reaction

proforward; forth
vokvoice; to callLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 2003 · scan

‘forward’ + ‘voice’ → provoke

Journey through time

Latinvōx, vōcis; vocō‘voice’
Middle Englishprouokensource
Englishprovoke‘to stir up a reaction’ · today

pro- also in: prompt propel problem proceed process

vok also in: vocal invoke revoke advocate vocation

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin vōx ‘voice; to call’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry vōx, p. 2003 · dictionary scan

Roots

vōx, vōcis; vocō Latin “voice; to call”

Related words

advocate invoke revoke vocabulary vocal vocation

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