Provoking

How to spell provoking

9 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce provoking

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does provoking mean?

1. adjectiveCausing annoyance, anger, or a strong reaction; tending to stir up feeling or thought.
2. verbPresent participle of provoke: deliberately causing a reaction, response, or feeling in someone.

Provoking in a sentence

• adjective

  Her provoking remarks turned the calm meeting into a heated dispute.

• verb

  By mocking the referee he was clearly provoking a confrontation.

• adjective

  The documentary was deliberately provoking, raising questions nobody wanted to face.

• verb

  The comedian made a living by provoking the audience into uncomfortable laughter.

Where does provoking come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word grows from the Latin verb provocare, which literally meant 'to call forth' or 'to challenge', built from pro 'forth' and vocare 'to call'. The same vocare root underlies a whole family of familiar English words such as 'vocal', 'voice', 'advocate' and 'revoke', all of which carry the idea of calling. English took provocare in through Old French provoquer during the 1300s and 1400s, where it carried the sense of stirring someone up or summoning a feeling or action. The participle 'provoking' settled into use as both a verb form and a descriptive adjective meaning irritating, annoying, or thought-stirring. Keeping that vok 'call' core in mind helps explain the single 'k' and the regular -ing ending rather than any doubled consonant.

How the word is built

• pro- (forth)
• voc/vok (call, from Latin vocare)
• -ing (present participle / adjective)