Latin Love: vocare

The word "vocabulary" itself grows out of this root. Learn these words derived from the Latin root "vocare" (meaning "to name or call").
More Latin Love, Volume I lists:
portare, sci, struere, and via!
ELA Common Core State Standard: "Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word."
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. evoke
    call forth, as an emotion, feeling, or response
    “See how El Greco uses contrast to evoke emotional yearning.” Scythe
    To evoke is to "call out" or bring forth a memory or feeling. Words have connotations that may evoke certain positive or negative feelings. You can also have an evocative experience when you revisit a place that was familiar to you as a child.
  2. provoke
    annoy continually or chronically
    “He’ll try to provoke you. Don’t get angry. Focus only on his blade, and that unprotected side of his.” Throne of Glass
    The word provoke typically has a negative connotation, suggesting violence or retaliation in response to continued harassment.
  3. revoke
    cancel officially
    Both schools are authorized under state law by the Daleville School Board, which voted Monday to revoke their charters. Washington Times (Aug 27, 2019)
    This word derives from the prefix re-, meaning "back," and the root voc, meaning "to call": so, to revoke something is to call it back, or cancel it.
  4. advocate
    a person who pleads for a person, cause, or idea
    West was an outspoken advocate for black empowerment and one of the leaders of the local NAACP. Hidden Figures
    The prefix ad- means "toward or forward," and an advocate is someone who champions a person or cause by speaking in its favor.
  5. invoke
    cite as an authority
    If he was ordained, he would defy the edict, invoking the tenth commandment, which clearly said he was beholden to no laws beyond the ten—including any edicts levied by the Scythedom. Scythe
    When you invoke something, you cite or call upon it as an authority.
  6. invocation
    a prayer asking God's help as part of a religious service
    "The district shall not include a prayer -- whether referred to as a prayer, blessing, invocation, benediction, inspirational reading or otherwise -- as part of the official program for a graduation ceremony," Judge Hendricks wrote. Fox News (Jul 22, 2019)
    An invocation is a prayers that directly calls for the help of a deity. This word can also refer to the act of appealing for assistance more generally.
  7. equivocate
    be deliberately ambiguous or unclear
    And you expect me, a lawyer, to equivocate—to say one thing and mean another—to talk, as it were, with my tongue in my cheek? Hocking, Silas K. (Silas Kitto)
    The word root equi means "same" or "equal." When you equivocate, you are deliberately ambiguous: you call upon or cite opposing propositions and treat them as though they have equal weight or significance.
  8. unequivocal
    clearly defined or formulated
    Scientists have been loath to answer such questions in unequivocal terms. Slate (Dec 7, 2012)
    To give a clear yes or no is to be unequivocal. When you ask a direct question, you want an unequivocal answer.
  9. vociferous
    conspicuously and offensively loud
    Their cry increased in volume, vociferous, echoing in the trees. Ramsay, R.
    This word derives from the roots voc, meaning "to call," and fer, meaning "to carry." Someone who is vociferous is insistent upon being heard.
  10. convocation
    a group gathered in response to a summons
    Twice a week, residential students are required to attend a convocation in the basketball stadium, where high-profile speakers address the student body. The New Yorker (Jan 8, 2019)
    Con means "together," so a convocation is when a group is called together for some purpose.
  11. vocation
    the particular occupation for which you are trained
    “Oh, I do a little painting, but my real vocation is teaching promising young people like Mr. Costello here.” Landscape with Invisible Hand
    Certain professions are often said to be vocations, or "callings" because of the strong feelings that people have about choosing them.
  12. avocation
    an auxiliary activity
    Certainly, the fact that science was more of an avocation than a profession in antiquity—even at the Museum—contributed to its demise. Circumference
    An avocation is a hobby, an enjoyable activity that you do for the joy of it. Formed with the prefix a-, meaning "away from," your avocation calls you away from your daily obligations.
Created on Sat Jun 15 16:09:02 EDT 2013 (updated Tue Aug 27 15:57:50 EDT 2019)

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