Incite
/ɪnˈsaɪt/noun
To urge or stir someone to action, especially to violence or rebellion.
Did you know?Incite comes from Latin *incitāre*, meaning “to urge on, rouse, set in rapid motion,” from *in-* + *citāre* (“to call forth, move”), the same ancient motion-root behind words like *cite* and *excite*.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ḱei-
“to lie down; to set in motion; to be in motion”
Latin
Latin
citāre
“to call forth, rouse, set in motion”
Latin
Latin
incitāre
“to urge on, spur, accelerate”
Old French
Old French
inciter
“to urge, provoke, stir up”
Late Middle English
English
inciten
“to urge on, provoke”
Modern English
English
incite
“to provoke or urge into action, especially harmful action”