provocative

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /pɹəˈvɒkətɪv/

Adjective

provocative (comparative more provocative, superlative most provocative)

1. Serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; exciting.

Translations

tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate

• Arabic: مستفز (mostafez)
• Catalan: provocador (ca), provocatiu (ca)
• Czech: provokativní
• Finnish: provosoiva (fi), provokatiivinen (fi), provokatorinen (fi)
• French: provocat-eur, -rice

• German: provokant (de)
• Ido: provoko(-ul,-in)o
• Polish: prowokacyjny (pl)
• Spanish: provocador (es), provocativo (es)

Noun

provocative (plural provocatives)

1. (now historical) Something that provokes an appetite, especially a sexual appetite; an aphrodisiac. [from 15th c.]
   • 1723, Charles Walker, Memoirs of the Life of Sally Salisbury:

     She used by way of Provocative, to read the wanton Verses of her Paramour in the day time [...].