different between provocative vs inspiring

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /p???v?k.?.t?v/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /p???v?k.?.t?v/

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; sexy.

Related terms

• provoke
• provocation
• provocator

Related terms

• provocateur

Translations

Noun

provocative (plural provocatives)

1. (obsolescent) 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

pr?voc?t?ve

1. vocative masculine singular of pr?voc?t?vus

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n.?spa?(?)???/
• Rhymes: -a??r??
• Hyphenation: in?spir?ing

Adjective

inspiring (comparative more inspiring, superlative most inspiring)

1. Providing inspiration; encouraging; stimulating.

Translations

Verb

inspiring

1. present participle of inspire

Noun

inspiring (countable and uncountable, plural inspirings)

1. inspiration
   • 1874, The Eclectic Magazine of Foreign Literature, Science, and Art

     From the severity of his father to the sweet intellectual inspirings of his wife a sadness seems ever to dwell upon his career. It was not that he was unfortunate. Few men have achieved greater success in life than John Stuart Mill.