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Origin and history of provocation

provocation(n.)

c. 1400, provocacioun, "incitement, urging," from Old French provocacion (12c.) and directly from Latin provocationem (nominative provocatio) "a calling forth, a summoning, a challenge," noun of action from past-participle stem of provocare "to call out" (see provoke). Specifically "act of exciting anger or vexation" (early 15c.); the meaning "anything that excites anger, a cause of resentment" is by 1716.

also from c. 1400

Entries linking to provocation

provoke(v.)

late 14c., provoken, in medicine, "to induce" (sleep, vomiting, etc.), "to stimulate" (appetite), from Old French provoker, provochier (12c., Modern French provoquer) and directly from Latin provocare "call forth, challenge," from pro "forth" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward") + vocare "to call," which is related to vox (genitive vocis) "voice" (from PIE root *wekw- "to speak"). Related: Provoked; provoking. The general sense of "urge, incite, stimulate to action" is from c. 1400.

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    aggravation
    late 15c., "an increasing in gravity or seriousness," from French aggravation, from Late Latin aggravationem (nominative aggravatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin aggravare "make heavier," figuratively "to embarrass further, increase in oppressiveness," from
    irritation
    early 15c., irritacioun, in physiology, in reference to sores and morbid swelling, from Old French irritacion or directly from Latin irritationem (nominative irritatio) "incitement, stimulus; irritation, wrath, anger," noun of action from past-participle stem of irritare "to exci
    exacerbation
    Oldest use in English is Biblical, in reference to the Provocation in the Wilderness....
    trigger
    Trigger-happy "ready to shoot (or otherwise react violently) on the slightest provocation" is attested from 1942....
    indignation
    indignacion "fury, rage; disrespect," or directly from Latin indignationem (nominative indignatio) "indignation, displeasure; a provocation...
    subornation
    "act of bribing or persuading one to a bad or criminal act," especially "the procuring of witnesses to commit perjury;" 1520s, from Latin subornationem (nominative subornatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of subornare "to provide, furnish, equip, adorn;" also, with t
    signal
    late 14c., "visible sign, indication" (a sense now obsolete), also "a supernatural act of God; a device on a banner," from Old French signal, seignal "seal, imprint, sign, mark," from Medieval Latin signale "a signal," from Late Latin signalis (adj.) "used as a signal, pertaining
    aggression
    1610s, "unprovoked attack," from French aggression (16c., Modern French agression), from Latin aggressionem (nominative aggressio) "a going to, an attack," noun of action from past-participle stem of aggredi "to approach; to attempt; to attack," from ad "to" (see ad-) + gradi (pa
    taunt
    1510s, tant "make a smart reply; answer (someone) with a mocking rejoinder;" 1550s, "reproach in a sarcastic way;" of uncertain origin, possibly [Skeat] from French tanter, tenter "to tempt, try, provoke," variant of tempter "to try" (see tempt). Or from French tant pour tant "so
    family
    early 15c., "servants of a household," from Latin familia "family servants, domestics collectively, the servants in a household," thus also "members of a household, the estate, property; the household, including relatives and servants," abstract noun formed from famulus "servant,

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