provocative en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /pɹəˈvɒk.ə.tɪv/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- [pɹəˈvɑ.kə.ɾɪv] (Canada, General-American)
- /pɹəˈvɑ.kə.tɪv/ (Canada, General-American)
- /pɹəˈvɔk.ə.tɪv/ (Australia)
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French provocatif, and its source, Late Latin provocativus, from Latin provocare.
Meanings
- Serving or tending to elicit a strong, often negative sentiment in another person; exasperating.
- Serving or tending to excite, stimulate or arouse sexual interest; sexy.
-
Provoking or triggering any response.
And the ‘wailing noise,’ which had induced the prosaic, indurated London cabman to get twice off his box to see what was the matter, what anguish had been provocative of that?
1897, Richard Marsh, The Beetle:[I]t is a terrible long and slippery descent, and a shocking bad road. At the bottom, however, there is a pleasant public; whereat we must really take a modest quencher, for the down air is provocative of thirst.
1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's School Days:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more provocative | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most provocative | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Deriveds
provocativeness · unprovocative · nonprovocative · bronchoprovocative · provocatively
Relateds
provoke · provocateur · provocator · provocation
Synonyms
Translations (37)
id provokatif (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · bg провокиращ (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · ru провокати́вный (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · uk провокаці́йний (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · hi कामुक (tending to arouse sexual interest) · pl prowokacyjny (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · mi whakatumatuma (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · hu provokatív (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · fi provokatorinen (tending to arouse sexual interest) · fi provokatorinen (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · hi उत्तेजक (tending to arouse sexual interest) · fi provokatiivinen (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · de provokant (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · be правакацы́йны (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · it attraente (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · el προκλητικός (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · ar مُسْتَفِز (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · ru провокацио́нный (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · es provocador (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · fr provocatrice (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · mi whakataratara (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · hi उत्तेजक (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · nn provoserande (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · el προκλητικός (tending to arouse sexual interest) · fi provosoiva (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · ca provocatiu (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · nl provocatief (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · bg възбуждащ (tending to arouse sexual interest) · cs provokativní (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · nb provoserende (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · it procace (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · ca provocador (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · uk провокати́вний (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · ca provocatiu (tending to arouse sexual interest) · es provocativo (tending to provoke strong negative feeling) · pl wyzywający (tending to arouse sexual interest) · fr provocateur (tending to provoke strong negative feeling)