vocation

UK: /vəʊˈkeɪʃ^ən/ US: /voʊˈkeɪʃən/ ,(vō kā′shən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

vo•ca•tion /voʊˈkeɪʃən/   n. [countable]

1. a particular occupation, business, or profession;
   one's calling:
   a vocation of teaching.
2. a strong impulse or desire to follow a particular activity or career.
3. Religion a divine call to a religious life:
   a vocation to join the priesthood.

See -voc-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

vo•ca•tion  (vō kā′shən), n. 

1. a particular occupation, business, or profession;
   calling.
2. a strong impulse or inclination to follow a particular activity or career.
3. a divine call to God's service or to the Christian life.
4. a function or station in life to which one is called by God:
   the religious vocation; the vocation of marriage.

• Latin vocātiōn- (stem of vocātiō) a call, summons, equivalent. to vocāt(us) past participle of vocāre to call (see -ate¹) + -iōn- -ion
• late Middle English vocacio(u)n 1400–50

Synonyms

• 1. employment, pursuit.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

vocation / vəʊˈkeɪʃən/ noun

1. a specified occupation, profession, or trade
2. a special urge, inclination, or predisposition to a particular calling or career, esp a religious one
3. such a calling or career

Etymology: 15th Century: from Latin vocātiō a calling, from vocāre to call