French Conversation · Level 166
15 words
French word
invoquer
Pronunciation
IPA/ɛ̃voke/
Meaning
- verbcite
Example
Elle invoque des raisons personnelles.
She cites personal reasons.
More examples
L'avocat invoque un article pour soutenir son client.
The lawyer invokes an article to support his client.
Core concept
A speaker brings a reason or authority forward to support a claim.
Common phrases
invoquer des raisons
cite reasons
invoquer un prétexte
cite a pretext
invoquer la loi
invoke the law
Similar words
donner: A reason or explanation presented to another person.
citer: A person's name, word, or example quoted or presented exactly.
mentionner: A brief reference to a person, matter, or fact in discussion.
justifier: Evidence or reasons showing that an action or opinion is justified.
Definition in French
Citer ou présenter quelque chose comme justification pour soutenir une affirmation.
Word origin
French invoquer comes from Latin invocare, 'to call upon', and developed from calling on a deity or authority to citing support for an argument.
Usage tips
- Invoquer is more formal than everyday donner une raison and commonly introduces a noun such as une raison, un principe, or un droit.
Other meanings
- invokeverb
Opposites
- réfuterrefuteverb
- contredirecontradictverb
Related words
- invocationinvocationnoun
- invoquéinvokedadjective