Provoke
/prəˈvoʊk/noun
To incite, irritate, or bring about a reaction or response.
Did you know?“Provoke” comes from Latin roots used in Roman law for formally calling someone out or challenging them, so the word has always carried the energy of a public confrontation.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
provocāre
“to call forth, summon, challenge, or incite”
Late Latin
Latin
provocātiō
“a challenge or formal appeal”
Old French
Old French
provoquer
“to incite, stir up, call forth”
14th Century
English
provoke
“to incite, arouse, or challenge to action or combat”
Modern English
English
provoke
“to irritate, incite, or bring about a reaction”