convoke
kun-VOHK
/kənˈvoʊk/
To call together or summon for a formal meeting or assembly.
Used almost exclusively for formal groups like parliaments, councils, or committees.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'convocare', meaning 'to call together'. It combines 'con-' (together) and 'vocare' (to call).
Word relationships
- convene: Convene is more common and can refer to the meeting itself starting, whereas convoke is the act of calling people to it.
- summon: Summon is broader and can refer to calling a single person, while convoke is for a group.
- dismiss: Dismiss means to allow or tell a group to leave.
- adjourn: Adjourn means to break off a meeting with the intention of resuming it later.
Commonly confused with
- invoke: Invoke is to call upon a law or power; convoke is to call together a group of people.
Word family
- convocation (noun): A large formal assembly of people.
Collocations
- convoke a meeting
- convoke an assembly
- convoke a council
- convoke a session
Example sentences
- "The president decided to convoke a special session of Congress to discuss the crisis." Government
- "The dean convoked a meeting of all faculty members to announce the new curriculum." Academic administration
Memory hook
Convoke = Con (together) + Voke (call). Calling everyone together. Convoke = Convention (calling people to one).
When not to use
Do not use 'convoke' for a casual hangout with friends; use 'gather' or 'meet'.
Fun facts
- In many universities, the graduation ceremony is called a 'convocation'.
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