Evocative
/ɪˈvɒkətɪv/
Definitions
Tending to bring strong emotions, memories, or images to mind.
/ɪˈvɒkətɪv/
Bringing strong images, memories, or feelings to mind.
The old photographs were incredibly evocative of a time before cell phones.
💡 Simply: Something evocative is like a mental trigger! It's something that makes you remember or *feel* something strongly. Think about a song that instantly brings back memories of a special time.
👶 For kids: Evocative means something makes you remember or feel something strong, like a favorite toy that makes you happy.
More Examples
The scent of freshly baked bread is often evocative of home and comfort.
Her performance was deeply evocative, drawing tears from the audience.
The evocative power of the novel kept me engaged until the very end.
How It's Used
"The author's use of vivid imagery was highly evocative of childhood summers."
"The artist's brushstrokes were evocative of a stormy sea."
"The song's melody was evocative of a bygone era."
Idioms & expressions
evocative of something
Causing the recall of something, typically a feeling or memory.
"The music was evocative of a summer vacation."
From Latin *evocare* 'to call forth, summon', from *e-* 'out' + *vocare* 'to call'.
The word has been used since the late 18th century, primarily in the context of art, literature, and memory.
Memory tip
Think of *evoke* and *vogue* (fashion). Evocative things *evoke* a *vogue* or sense of style that reminds you of something.
Word Origin
"to call forth, summon"