voc ‧ a ‧ tive /ˈvɒkətɪv $ ˈvɑː-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: vocatif , from Latin vocativus , from vocare ; ⇨ ↑ vocation ]
technical a word or particular form of a word used to show that you are speaking or writing directly to someone
—vocative adjective