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Literary Terms
Literary terms to prepare for the AP Composition exam.
272
English
12th Grade
10/27/2009

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Term
Abstract
Definition
Refers to language that describes concepts rather than concrete images.
Term
Ad Hominem
Definition
In an argument, this is an attack on the person rather than on the opponent's ideas. It comes from the Latin meaning "against the man."
Term
Allegory
Definition
A work that functions on a symbolic level.
Term
Alliteration
Definition
The repitition of initial consonant sounds, such as "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."
Term
Allusion
Definition
A reference contained in a work
Term
Analogy
Definition
A literary device employed to serve as a basis for comparison
Term
Anecdote
Definition
A story or brief episode told by the writer or character to illustrate a point
Term
Antecedent
Definition
The word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers. The AP English Language and Composition Exam often expects you to identify the antecedent in a passage
Term
Antithesis
Definition

The presentation of two contrasting images. The Ideas are balanced by word, phrase, clause, or paragraphs.

 "To be or not to be..."

"Aask not what your country..."

Term
Argument
Definition
A single assertion or a series of assertions presented and defended by the writer
Term
Attitude
Definition
The relationship an author has toward his or her subject, and/or his or her audience
Term
Consensus
Definition
General agreement
Term
Assertion
Definition
A declaration or statement
Term
Clarity
Definition
Clearness in thought or expression
Term
Cogent
Definition
Convincing; reasonable
Term
Coherent
Definition
Logically connected
Term
Cohesive
Definition
Condition of sticking together
Term
Didactic
Definition
Intended to instruct
Term
Discourse
Definition
Verbal expression or exchange; conversation
Term
Eloquence
Definition
The ability to speak vividly or persuasively
Term
Emphasize
Definition
To give special attention to something, to stress
Term
Fluid
Definition
Easily flowing
Term
Implication
Definition
The act of suggesting or hinting
Term
Lucid
Definition
Easily understood; clear
Term
Rhetoric
Definition
The art of using language effectively and persuasively
Term
Arbiter
Definition
A judge who decides a disputed issue
Term
Biased
Definition
Prejudiced
Term
Exculpate
Definition
To free from guilt or blame
Term
Impartial
Definition
Not in favor of one side or the other; unbiased
Term
Incontrovertible
Definition
Not able to be denied or disputed
Term
Integrity
Definition
Trustworthiness; completeness
Term
Objectivity
Definition
Treating facts without influence from personal feelings or prejudices
Term
Penitent
Definition
Expressing remorse for one's misdeeds
Term
Plausible
Definition
Seemingly valid or acceptible; credible
Term
Substantiated
Definition
Supported with proof or evidence; verified
Term
Vindicated
Definition
Freed from blame
Term
Condescending
Definition
Treating people as weak or inferior
Term
Contemptuous
Definition
Feeling hatred; scornful
Term
Despotic
Definition
Exercising absolute power; tyrannical
Term
Dictatorial
Definition
Domineering; opressively overbearing
Term
Disdain
Definition

(N.)Contempt, scorn

(V.) To regard or treat with contempt; to look down on

Term
Haughty
Definition
Arrogant; vainly proud
Term
Imperious
Definition
Arrogantly overbearing or domineering
Term
Patronizing
Definition
Treating in a condescending manner
Term
Convoluted
Definition
Intricate; complex
Term
Cryptic
Definition
Difficult to comprehend
Term
Futile
Definition
Having no useful purpose; pointless
Term
Impede
Definition
To slow the progress of
Term
Obscure
Definition

(adj.) relatively unkown

(v.) to conceal or make indistinct

Term
Quandary
Definition
A state of uncertainty or perplexity
Term
Indolent
Definition
Lazy
Term
Insipid
Definition
Uninteresting; unchallenging
Term
Listless
Definition
lacking energy
Term
Torpor
Definition
Laziness; inactivity; dullness
Term
Alienated
Definition
Removed or disassociated from (friends, family, or homeland)
Term
Alliance
Definition
A union of two or more groups
Term
Disparity
Definition
Inequality in age, rank, or degree; difference
Term
Servile
Definition
Submissive; like a servant
Term
Suppressed
Definition
Subdued; kept from being circulated
Term
Embellish
Definition
To make beautiful by ornamenting; to decorate
Term
Florid
Definition
Describing flowery or elaborate speech
Term
Opulent
Definition
Exhibiting a display of great wealth
Term
Ornate
Definition
Elaborately decorated
Term
Ostentatious
Definition
Describing a showy or pretentious display
Term
Poignant
Definition
Profoundly moving; touching
Term
Ebullience
Definition
Intense enthusiasm
Term
Effusive
Definition
Emotionally unrestrained; gushy
Term
Egregious
Definition
Conspicuously bad or offensive
Term
Flagrant
Definition
Extremely or deliberately shocking or noticeable
Term
Frenetic
Definition
Wildly excited or active
Term
Gratuitous
Definition
Given freely; unearned; unwarranted
Term
Superfluous
Definition
Extra; unnecessary
Term
Alleviate
Definition
To ease a pain or burden
Term
Asylum
Definition
A place of retreat or security
Term
Auspicious
Definition
Favorable; promising
Term
Benovolent
Definition
Well-meaning; generous
Term
Benign
Definition
Kind and gentle
Term
Mollify
Definition
To calm or soothe
Term
Reclamation
Definition
The act of making something useful again
Term
Sanction
Definition
To give official authorization or approval
Term
Dubious
Definition
Doubtful; of unlikely authenticity
Term
Fabricated
Definition
made; concocted to deceive
Term
Hypocrisy
Definition
The practice of pretending to be something one is not; insincerity
Term
Slander
Definition
False charges and malicious oral statements about someone
Term
Spurious
Definition
Not genuine
Term
Astute
Definition
Shrewd; clever
Term
Clandestine
Definition
Secretive
Term
Coup
Definition
A brilliantly executed plan
Term
Disingenuous
Definition
Not straightforward; crafty
Term
Ruse
Definition
A crafty trick
Term
Stratagem
Definition
A clever trick used to deceive or outwit
Term
Surreptitiously
Definition
Done by secretive means
Term
Wary
Definition
on guard
Term
Wily
Definition
Cunning
Term
Ambiguous
Definition
Open to more than one interpretation
Term
Ambivalent
Definition
Simultaneously having opposing feelings; uncertain
Term
Apathetic
Definition
Feeling or showing little emotion
Term
Arbitrary
Definition
Determined by impulse rather than reason
Term
Capricious
Definition
Impulsive and unpredictable
Term
Equivocate
Definition
To avoid making a definite statement
Term
Indifferent
Definition
Not caring one way or the other
Term
Spontaneous
Definition
Unplanned; naturally occuring
Term
Whimsical
Definition
Subject to erratic behavior; unpredictable
Term
Inconsequential
Definition
Unimportant
Term
Superficial
Definition
Concerned only with what is on the surface or obvious; shallow
Term
Tenuous
Definition
Having little substance or strength; shaky; unsure, weak
Term
Trivial
Definition
Of little importance or significance
Term
Assiduous
Definition
Hard-working
Term
Compelling
Definition
forceful; urgently demanding attention
Term
Diligent
Definition
Marked by painstaking effort; hard-working
Term
Dogged
Definition
Stubbornly persevering
Term
Endure
Definition
To put up with; to survive hardship
Term
Intrepid
Definition
Courageous; fearless
Term
Maverick
Definition
One who is independent and resists adherence to a group
Term
Obdurate
Definition
Stubborn; inflexible
Term
Obstinate
Definition
Stubbornly adhering to an opinion or a course of action
Term
Proliferate
Definition
To grow or increase rapidly
Term
Vitality
Definition
Energy; power to survive
Term
Assimilation
Definition
To absorb; to make similar
Term
Context
Definition
Circumstances of a situation; environment
Term
Derived
Definition
Copied or adapted from a source
Term
Incumbent
Definition
Imposed as a duty; obligatory
Term
Inevitable
Definition
Certain to happen, unavoidable
Term
Malleable
Definition
Easily shaped or formed; easily influenced
Term
Subdue
Definition
To restrain; to hold back
Term
Acquired
Definition
Developed or learned; not naturally occuring
Term
Conception
Definition
The ability to form or understand an idea
Term
Conviction
Definition
A fixed or strong belief
Term
Dogmatic
Definition
Stubbornly adhering to unproved beliefs
Term
Enlightening
Definition
Informative; contributing to one's awareness
Term
Impression
Definition
A feeling or understanding resulting from an experience
Term
Intuition
Definition
The power of knowing things without thinking; sharp insight
Term
Misconception
Definition
An incorrect understanding or interpretation
Term
Perception
Definition
Awareness; insight
Term
Perspective
Definition
Point of view
Term
Profound
Definition
Having great depth or seriousness
Term
Inherent
Definition
Inborn; built-in
Term
Innate
Definition
Possessed from birth; inborn
Term
Inveterate
Definition
Long established; deep-rooted; habitual
Term
Omnipotent
Definition
All-powerful
Term
Proximity
Definition
Closeness
Term
Elusive
Definition
Dificult to capture, as in something actually fleeting
Term
Emigrate
Definition
To leave one country or region and settle in another
Term
Transient
Definition
Passing away with time; passing from one place to another
Term
Transitory
Definition
Short-lived or temporary
Term
Affable
Definition
Easy-going; friendly
Term
Amenable
Definition
Responsive; agreeable
Term
Camaraderie
Definition
Good will between friends
Term
Cordial
Definition
Friendly; sincere
Term
Cordial
Definition
Friendly; sincere
Term
facetious
Definition
playfully humorous
Term
impinge
Definition
hinder; interfere with
Term
lament
Definition
express grief for; mourn
Term
melancholy
Definition
sadness; depression
Term
sanction
Definition
an economic or military measure put in place to punish another country
Term
truncated
Definition
shortened; cut off
Term
aesthetic
Definition
having to do with appreciation of beauty
Term
Anthology
Definition
A collection of literary pieces
Term
Contemporary
Definition
Current, modern; from the same time
Term
dilettante
Definition
one with an amateurish or superficial understanding of a field of knowledge
Term
eclectic
Definition
made up of a variety of sources or styles
Term
excerpt
Definition
a selected part of a passage or scene
Term
genre
Definition
describing a category or artistic endeavor
Term
medley
Definition
an assortment or a mixture, especially of musical pieces
Term
mural
Definition
a large painting applied directly to a wall or ceiling surface
Term
narrative
Definition

(adj.) characterized by the telling of a story

(n.) a story

Term
parody
Definition
an artistic work that imitates the style of another work for comic effect
Term
realism
Definition
artistic representation that aims for visual accuracy
Term
virtuoso
Definition
a tremendously skilled artist
Term
decorous
Definition
proper; marked by good taste
Term
equanimity
Definition
the quality of being calm and even-tempered; composure
Term
modest
Definition
quiet or humble in manner or appearance
Term
propriety
Definition
appropriateness of behavior
Term
prudent
Definition
exercising good judgement or common sense
Term
serene
Definition
calm
Term
staid
Definition
unemotional; serious
Term
stoic
Definition
indifferent to pleasure or pain; impassive
Term
condemn
Definition
to express strong disapproval of; denounce
Term
discredit
Definition
to cause to be doubted
Term
disparage
Definition
to speak of in a slighting way or negatively; to belittle
Term
pejorative
Definition
describing words or phrases that belittle or speak negatively of someone
Term
plagiarism
Definition
the act of passing off the ideas or writing of another as one's own
Term
vilify
Definition
to make vicious statements about
Term
brusque
Definition
rudely abrupt
Term
caustic
Definition
bitingly sarcastic or witty
Term
fractious
Definition
quarrelsome; unruly
Term
incorrigible
Definition
unable to be reformed
Term
ingrate
Definition
an ungrateful person
Term
insolent
Definition
insulting in manner or speech
Term
notorious
Definition
known widely and usually unfavorably; infamous
Term
pugnacious
Definition
combative; belligerent
Term
reprehensible
Definition
worthy of blame
Term
brittle
Definition
easily broken when subjected to pressure
Term
deleterious
Definition
having a harmful effect; injurious
Term
enmity
Definition
mutual hatred or ill-will
Term
heinous
Definition
hatefully evil; abominable
Term
malfeasance
Definition
wrongdoing; misconduct
Term
malice
Definition
extreme ill-will or spite
Term
putrid
Definition
rotten
Term
rancorous
Definition
hateful; marked by deep-seated ill-will
Term
toxic
Definition
poisonous
Term
archaic
Definition
characteristic of an earlier period; old-fashioned
Term
hackneyed
Definition
worn out through overuse; trite
Term
medieval
Definition
referring to the Middle Ages; old-fashioned
Term
obsolete
Definition
no longer in use; old-fashioned
Term
austere
Definition
without decoration; strict
Term
mediocrity
Definition
the state or quality of being average; of moderate to low quality
Term
mundane
Definition
commonplace; ordinary
Term
ponderous
Definition
extremely dull
Term
prosaic
Definition
unimaginative; dull
Term
sedentary
Definition
not migratory; settled
Term
apprehension
Definition
anxiety or fear about the future
Term
harbinger
Definition
something that indicates what is to come; a forerunner
Term
ominous
Definition
menacing; threatening
Term
premonition
Definition
a feeling about the future
Term
timorous
Definition
timid; fearful about the future
Term
trepidation
Definition
uncertainty; apprehension
Term
innovative
Definition
introducing something new
Term
naive
Definition
lacking sophistication
Term
nascent
Definition
coming into existence; emerging
Term
novel
Definition
strikingly new or unusual
Term
novice
Definition
a beginner
Term
candor
Definition
sincerity; openness
Term
frank
Definition
open and sincere in expression; straightforward
Term
arid
Definition
describing a dry, rainless climate
Term
conflagration
Definition
a widespread fire
Term
nocturnal
Definition
of or occuring in the night
Term
sonorous
Definition
producing a deep or full sound
Term
ample
Definition
describing a large amount of something
Term
comprehensive
Definition
large in scope or content
Term
copious
Definition
plentiful; having a large quantity
Term
permeated
Definition
spread or flowing throughout
Term
pervasive
Definition
dispersed throughout
Term
prodigious
Definition
enormous
Term
replete
Definition
abundantly supplied; filled to capacity
Term
exemplary
Definition
commendable; worthy of imitation
Term
idealize
Definition
to consider perfect
Term
laudatory
Definition
giving praise
Term
paramount
Definition
of chief concern or importance
Term
venerated
Definition
highly respected
Term
catalog
Definition
(v.) to make an itemized list of
Term
facile
Definition
done or achieved with little effort; easy
Term
fastidious
Definition
possessing careful attention to detail; difficult to please
Term
hierarchy
Definition
a group organized by rank
Term
meticulous
Definition
extremely careful and precise
Term
pragmatic
Definition
practical
Term
solvent
Definition
able to pay one's debts
Term
abstract
Definition
not applied to actual objects
Term
anachronism
Definition
something out of place in time or sequence
Term
anthropomorphism
Definition
the attribution of humanlike characteristics to inanimate objects, animals, or forces of nature
Term
apology
Definition
defense of an idea
Term
apposition
Definition
a grammar construction in which a noun (or noun phrase) is placed with another as an explanation
Term
archetype
Definition
a perfect example; an original pattern or model
Term
apparatus
Definition
equipment; a group of machines
Term
chiasmus
Definition
an inversion in the second of two parallel phrases
Term
gesticulating
Definition
making gestures while speaking
Term
hypothetical
Definition
existing only as an assumption or speculation
Term
lexicon
Definition
a word book describing language with definitions; a dictionary
Term
metonymy
Definition
a type of figurative language in which one term is substituted for another term with which it is closely associated
Term
oxymoron
Definition
an apparent contradiction of terms
Term
panegyric
Definition
statement of high praise
Term
paradigm
Definition
an example or model
Term
parallelism
Definition
a grammar construction in which two identical syntactic constructions are used
Term
period(periodic sentence)
Definition
long, complex, grammatically correct sentence
Term
pernicious
Definition
causing great harm
Term
phenomenon
Definition
an unusual, observable event
Term
propitious
Definition
presenting favorable circumstances; auspicious
Term
rational
Definition
logical; motivated by reason rather than feeling
Term
sardonic
Definition
disdainfully or ironically humorous; harsh, bitter, or caustic
Term
syllogism (syllogistic reasoning)
Definition
a form of deductive reasoning; a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion
Term
synecdoche
Definition
a form of metonymy that's restricted to cases where a part is used to signify the whole
Term
theoretical
Definition
lacking application or practical application
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