Occasionate

Occasionate is a verb in English meaning to cause or provide an occasion for something; to bring about a particular event or reaction. In modern usage it is rare and often considered archaic or formal. When used, it typically takes a direct object representing what is being brought about.

Etymology: It derives from occasion, the noun/verb meaning a favorable opportunity or event, with the productive suffix -ate to form a causative verb. The root word comes from Old French occasion and Latin occasio, from occasio meaning a fitting or opportunity.

Usage and nuance: Because it is rarely used today, most writers substitute cause, bring about, or give rise to. Occasionate is more likely to be found in historical texts, rhetorical writing, or stylistic prose that aims for a precise emphasis on generating the occasion itself rather than merely the outcome. Some dictionaries mark it as archaic or literary.

Examples: The announcement occasionated a strong media response. The ceremony was designed to occasion a sense of unity, though it also exposed organizational flaws. In a more historical register, one might say that a policy change occasionated a broader debate that reshaped national dialogue.

See also: occasion, cause, bring about, occasioning.