Etymology

provocative

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Today it means: Serving or tending to elicit a strong, often negative sentiment in another person; exasperating. Full definition →

First used 15th c.Middle French provocatif ← Late Latin provocativus ← Latin provocare
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromprovocare
  2. Late Latin · borrowed fromprovocativus
  3. Middle French · borrowed fromprovocatif
  4. English todayprovocative

Borrowed from Middle French provocatif, and its source, Late Latin provocativus, from Latin provocare.

Words from the same roots

Latinprovocare all →

provoke

First known use, by meaning

  • from 15th c. Something that provokes an appetite, especially a sexual appetite; an aphrodisiac.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.