provocative
Contents
1 English
1.1 Etymology
1.2 Pronunciation
1.3 Adjective
1.3.1 Related terms
1.3.2 Translations
1.4 Noun
2 Latin
2.1 Adjective
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French provocatif, and its source, Late Latin provocativus, from Latin provocare.
Pronunciation
(Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /pɹəˈvɒk.ə.tɪv/
(General American) IPA(key): /pɹəˈvɑk.ə.tɪv/
Adjective
provocative (comparative more provocative, superlative most provocative)
- Serving or tending to elicit a strong, often negative sentiment in another person; exasperating.
- Serving or tending to excite, stimulate or arouse sexual interest.
Related terms
- provoke
- provocation
- provocator
Translations
tending to provoke strong negative feeling
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tending to arouse sexual interest
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Noun
provocative (plural provocatives)
(archaic) Something that provokes an appetite, especially a sexual appetite; an aphrodisiac. [from 15th c.]
1723, Charles Walker, Memoirs of the Life of Sally Salisbury:
- She used by way of Provocative, to read the wanton Verses of her Paramour in the day time [...].
Latin
Adjective
prōvocātīve
- vocative masculine singular of prōvocātīvus
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