WorldAugust 28, 2026

invocation

in-vuh-KAY-shun

Definition

The act of citing, appealing to, or calling upon an authority, principle, or justification to support an action or argument.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'invocatio,' meaning an appeal or calling upon. It entered Middle English through Old French, originally relating to prayer or summoning spirits before evolving to mean the citation of an authority.

In the news

The judge used this term to criticize the government for using 'national security' as a shallow justification to justify punitive actions against a critic. It highlights that invoking such a serious concept requires legitimate evidence, not just a label used to exert power.

US court rules Pentagon ban of Anthropic unlawful

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The Express Tribune

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