'provokable' originates from English, specifically formed from the verb 'provoke' plus the suffix '-able', where 'provoke' ultimately comes from Latin 'provocare' and '-able' comes from Latin '-abilis' meaning 'capable of'.

'provoke' changed from Latin 'provocare' to Old French 'provoquer', entered Middle English as forms like 'provoken'/'provoken', became modern English 'provoke', and the adjective 'provokable' was later formed by adding the adjectival suffix '-able'.

Initially, 'provocare' meant 'to call forth' or 'to challenge', and over time 'provoke' shifted toward 'to stir up (especially anger or emotion)'; 'provokable' therefore came to mean 'capable of being provoked' in modern usage.