Convoke

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /kənˈvoʊk/

Definitions

1. To formally call or summon people to gather for a meeting or assembly
2. To officially bring individuals together for a conference or organized discussion
3. To arrange for or announce a gathering of people for a particular purpose

Etymology: Latin "convocare" combined "con-" ("together") with "vocare" ("to call"), so the original sense was literally calling things or people together. English took the word from Middle French "convoquer," which had itself been formed from that Latin verb, and the sense has stayed remarkably close to its roots: a convoked gathering is one summoned by an authority, such as a parliament, a council, or a church assembly, rather than simply any meeting. English also holds a second form of the same Latin verb. "Convocate" is a doublet, meaning the two words descend from one source by different routes, so the Latin root produced both a version that came through French and a version that entered English more directly. The two have since diverged in usage, with "convoke" retaining the more formal, official flavour of summoning people to assemble.

Synonyms: summon, assemble

Antonyms: disband