Evocation

/ˌɛvəˈkeɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The act of evoking, calling forth, or bringing something to mind; something that is evoked, especially a feeling or memory.

Etymology

From Latin 'evocatio' (a calling out, summoning), derived from 'evocare.' The '-tion' suffix converts the verb action into an abstract noun. In Roman times, it referred specifically to recalling court cases, but by medieval times it meant any kind of summoning or calling-forth.

Kelly Says

An evocation is different from a description—a description *tells you about* something, but an evocation actually makes you *feel* or *remember* it. That's why poets love this word: a good poem is an evocation of emotion, not just a report about it.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.