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Webster 1913 Edition


Provocative

Pro-vo′ca-tive

,
Adj.
[L.
provocativus
: cf. OF.
provocatif
.]
Serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; exciting.

Pro-vo′ca-tive

,
Noun.
Anything that is provocative; a stimulant;
as, a
provocative
of appetite
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Provocative

PROVO'CATIVE

,
Adj.
Exciting; stimulating; tending to awaken or incite appetite or passion.

PROVO'CATIVE

,
Noun.
Any thing that tends to excite appetite or passion; a stimulant; as a provocative of hunger or of lust.

Definition 2024


provocative

provocative

English

Adjective

provocative (comparative more provocative, superlative most provocative)

  1. Serving or tending to elicit a strong, often negative sentiment in another person; exasperating.
  2. Serving or tending to excite, stimulate or arouse sexual interest.

Translations

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 [...].

Latin

Adjective

prōvocātīve

  1. vocative masculine singular of prōvocātīvus