invocar

to invoke

verb een-boh-KAHR Rare

Origin: from Latin invocare (to call upon)

Also means

to call upon

Usage Note

Invocar means to call upon a higher power, a law, or a right: invocar la ley ('to invoke the law'), invocar a Dios ('to invoke God'). It is a spelling-change verb: the c becomes qu before e (invoque, invoqué). In computing contexts it is used for function or method calls, matching the English 'invoke'.

Examples

"El abogado invocó el derecho a guardar silencio."

Natural Translation

The lawyer invoked the right to remain silent.

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