evocative
ih-VOK-uh-tiv
ɪˈvɒkətɪv
Bringing strong images, memories, or feelings to mind.
This word describes something external (a smell, a song) that has the power to pull a memory out of you.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'evocare,' meaning 'to call out.' It suggests that a memory is sleeping inside you and the evocative thing calls it out into the light.
Word relationships
- suggestive: Suggestive is weaker; evocative implies a powerful emotional pull.
- uninspiring: Something uninspiring fails to trigger any mental or emotional response.
Commonly confused with
- provocative: Provocative means intended to cause anger or sexual desire; evocative means intended to bring back memories.
Word family
- evoke (verb): To bring or recall to the conscious mind.
- evocation (noun): The act of bringing or recalling a feeling or memory.
Collocations
- highly evocative
- evocative of
- evocative imagery
Example sentences
- "The music was deeply evocative, conjuring images of a lost summer by the lake." Art criticism
- "The smell of roasting coffee in the morning was evocative of his time in Italy." Travel writing
Memory hook
Evocative = E-Vocal. It 'calls' the memory out. Calling memories out.
When not to use
Don't use it to describe the memory itself, but rather the thing that triggers the memory.
Fun facts
- Olfactory (smell) memories are considered the most evocative because the olfactory bulb is directly connected to the amygdala and hippocampus.
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