provokers
|pro-vo-kers|
🇺🇸
/prəˈvoʊkərz/
🇬🇧
/prəˈvəʊkəz/
(provoker)
to call forth or incite (a reaction)
Etymology
'provoker' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'provocare', where 'pro-' meant 'forth/forward' and 'vocare' meant 'to call'.
'provocare' passed into Old French as 'provoquer' and into Middle English as 'provoke'; the agent noun was formed by adding the English agentive suffix '-er', producing 'provoker'.
Initially it meant 'to call forth or challenge'; over time it evolved into the broader sense 'to elicit, incite, or arouse (emotion or action)', which is reflected in modern uses of 'provoker'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'provoker': people who deliberately incite others to anger, violence, or strong reaction (often to create disturbance or a response).
The protest was infiltrated by provokers who tried to start fights with the police.
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Noun 2
agents or stimuli (people or things) that provoke a reaction, response, or debate.
Some of the op-eds acted as provokers, sparking heated discussion across social media.
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Last updated: 2025/12/20 15:05