invocation
[in-vuh-key-shuh n]
- the act of invoking or calling upon a deity, spirit, etc., for aid, protection, inspiration, or the like; supplication.
- any petitioning or supplication for help or aid.
- a form of prayer invoking God's presence, especially one said at the beginning of a religious service or public ceremony.
- an entreaty for aid and guidance from a Muse, deity, etc., at the beginning of an epic or epiclike poem.
- the act of calling upon a spirit by incantation.
- the magic formula used to conjure up a spirit; incantation.
- the act of calling upon or referring to something, as a concept or document, for support and justification in a particular circumstance.
- the enforcing or use of a legal or moral precept or right.
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Origin of invocation
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for invocation
Contemporary Examples
Feminists should be concerned about the invocation of traditional roles.
I was asked by then President-elect Obama to deliver the invocation at the opening inaugural event.
When science was young, the invocation of miracles was commonplace.
This “promiscuous” invocation of religious freedom would deny equal rights to those with different religious convictions—or none.
But the Obamacare invocation is one I think they may really come to regret by next November.
Historical Examples
In modern crystal-gazing and mirror-reading, however, there is no invocation.
StoryologyBenjamin Taylor
It was a prayer, an invocation, to the unknown child, as to the unknown God!
Doctor PascalEmile Zola
In that case, as a Unitarian, I must object to an invocation in which I do not believe.
The ChristianHall Caine
I feel the same about the invocation of the saints and about images.
Erasmus and the Age of ReformationJohan Huizinga
The invocation was heard in the breasts from which it was uttered.
The Reign of Mary TudorW. Llewelyn Williams.
invocation
- the act of invoking or calling upon some agent for assistance
- a prayer asking God for help, forgiveness, etc, esp as part of a religious service
- an appeal for inspiration and guidance from a Muse or deity at the beginning of a poem
- the act of summoning a spirit or demon from another world by ritual incantation or magic
- the incantation used in this act
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for invocation
n.
late 14c., "petition (to God or a god) for aid or comfort; invocation, prayer;" also "a summoning of evil spirits," from Old French invocacion (12c.), from Latin invocationem (nominative invocatio), noun of action from past participle stem of invocare "to call upon, invoke, appeal to" (see invoke).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper