incite
/ɪnˈsaɪt/
verb
Origin
Latin
incitare — to set in motion, urge, or excite
Overview
Meaning Now
- To encourage or stir up violent, unlawful, or harmful behavior.
- To provoke or urge someone to take a specific action.
Literal older meaning
to set in motion or to urge upon
Language path
Latin → Middle French → English
Earliest form
incite
Earliest period
15th century
Journey
The word shares a deep etymological root with 'cite' (to summon) and 'excite' (to stir up), all stemming from the Latin 'citare', which originally meant to set something in motion or to call someone to action.
Evolution
- Latin
incitare
“to stir up, summon, or set in motion”
Derived from 'in-' (upon) and 'citare' (to summon/rouse).
- Middle French
inciter
“to incite or provoke”
Transition from Latin to Romance languages.
- English (15th century - present)
incite
“to stir up or provoke action/violence”
Adopted into English with its primary sense of provocation.
Connections
Word parts
in-
prefix
into, upon, or towards
cite
root
to summon, move, or call
Related across languages
French
inciter
to incite
Italian
incitare
to incite/urge
Spanish
incitar
to incite
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.