In Roman law, 'provocatio' was a citizen's right of appeal — before it became any act that calls forth anger.
Action or speech that makes someone annoyed or angry, especially deliberately; something that incites or stimulates; the act of provoking.
From Old French 'provocation,' from Latin 'provocationem' (accusative of 'provocatio'), a calling forth or challenge, from 'provocare' (to call forth, challenge, provoke), composed of 'pro-' (forth, forward) and 'vocare' (to call). 'Vocare' derives from 'vox' (voice), from PIE *wokw- (to speak, voice), the root of 'voice,' 'vocal,' 'vocabulary,' 'vocation' (a calling), 'advocate' (one called to speak for another), 'invoke,' 'revoke,' 'evoke,' and 'convoke.' In Roman law, 'provocatio' had specific legal meaning: the right of a Roman citizen to appeal a
In Roman law, 'prōvocātiō' was a citizen's right to appeal a magistrate's decision to the people. The 'prōvocātiō ad populum' (calling forth to the people) was one of the fundamental rights of Roman citizenship — the ability to challenge authority publicly. When we say someone 'provoked' us, we are