Word
vocation
Phoneticsvo·ca·tion
US/voʊˈkeɪʃən/
UK/vəʊkˈeɪʃən/
Definitions
01a life's work
n. a job or career that you feel you were born to do, usually because it helps people or serves a purpose.
n. a strong inclination toward a particular state or course of action, especially a specific career path that involves service to others.
“Nursing is more than just a job for her; it is a true vocation.”
“Many young people struggle to find their vocation in a modern economy that prioritizes immediate financial gain over personal fulfillment.”
Formal
Usage
Often used with the verbs 'find', 'follow', or 'have'.
02religious calling
n. a strong feeling that God is calling you to become a priest, monk, or nun.
n. a divine call to a religious life, specifically within the context of holy orders or a religious community.
“He entered the monastery after feeling a deep vocation to serve the church.”
“The bishop spoke to the students about the importance of listening for a vocation in an increasingly secular world.”
Formal · Technical
Usage
Commonly used in the phrase 'a vocation to the priesthood'.
Synonyms
03trade or profession
n. a person's main job or the work they are trained to do.
n. the work in which a person is regularly employed; a trade or profession.
“The school provides training for students entering a technical vocation like carpentry.”
“The government increased funding for vocational training to ensure workers had the skills required for industrial roles.”
Usage
Frequently appears as the adjective 'vocational' in educational contexts.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“The country still needs to increase the amount of apprenticeships it offers, and guide children who are not on a pathway to university into vocations, he says.” “Mary found her vocation in the 1970s and 80s, as an academic specialising in disability in the social sciences faculty of the Open University, where she worked closely with Vic Finkelstein .” Etymology
From Middle English vocacioun, from Old French vocation, from Latin vocātiō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/vocation