'unprovoked' originates from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and the word 'provoke' from Latin 'provocare', where 'pro-' meant 'forth' and 'vocare' meant 'to call'.

'provocare' transformed into the Old French word 'provoquer', and eventually became the modern English word 'provoke', with 'un-' added to form 'unprovoked'.

Initially, it meant 'not called forth', and over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'not caused by anything done or said'.