AP Lit Vocab Set 1

Archaisms

Definition: outdated words or expressions used to evoke an earlier time period. Use: An author may use archaisms to establish a historical or elevated tone.

Ascertained

Definition: discovered or confirmed with certainty. Use: The truth of the character's intentions is ascertained through dialogue.

Censure

Definition: strong criticism or condemnation. Use: The narrator's censure reveals moral judgment of society.

Complacency

Definition: self-satisfied unawareness of danger or flaws. Use: The character's complacency leads to eventual downfall.

Conciliatory

Definition: intended to reduce conflict or hostility. Use: His conciliatory tone diffuses the rising tension.

Deign

Definition: to do something one considers beneath one's dignity. Use: She does not deign to respond to the accusation.

Delineation

Definition: detailed description or portrayal. Use: The author's delineation of the setting reflects inner turmoil.

Diminutive

Definition: very small; suggesting insignificance or affection. Use: The diminutive figure emphasizes the character's vulnerability.

Effusions

Definition: an instance of giving something such as a liquid, light, or smell. Use: His effusions of gas overwhelm those around him.

Erudite

Definition: highly educated or scholarly. Use: The erudite diction elevates the narrative voice.

Eulogized

Definition: praised formally or highly, especially after death. Use: The hero is eulogized as a symbol of lost ideals.

Facetious

Definition: joking in an inappropriate or flippant way. Use: Her facetious remarks undermine the seriousness of the moment.

Forlorn

Definition: abandoned, lonely, or hopeless. Use: The forlorn landscape mirrors the protagonist's despair.

Garish

Definition: excessively bright or showy; tasteless. Use: Garish imagery critiques the excess of modern society.

Impolitic

Definition: unwise or tactless. Use: His impolitic speech worsens the conflict.

Incipient

Definition: beginning to develop. Use: The incipient rebellion threatens the established order.

Infirmity

Definition: weakness or frailty. Use: His physical infirmity symbolizes moral decay.

Inimical

Definition: harmful or hostile. Use: The environment proves inimical to human survival.

Insipid

Definition: dull or lacking interest. Use: The insipid routine drains meaning from daily life.

Interstices

Definition: small gaps or spaces between things. Use: Meaning emerges in the interstices of silence and speech.

Lamentable

Definition: deserving of sorrow or regret. Use: The lamentable outcome underscores the tragedy.

Malign

Definition: to speak harmfully of; evil in nature. Use: He is maligned by rumors spread by rivals.

Marred

Definition: damaged or spoiled. Use: The celebration is marred by sudden violence.

Miasma

Definition: a highly unpleasant or unhealthy smell or vapor. Use: A stinky miasma hangs over the town.

Precarious

Definition: unstable or dangerous. Use: The family's precarious position heightens tension.

Premeditated

Definition: planned in advance. Use: The crime is revealed to be premeditated.

Privation

Definition: severe lack of basic needs or comforts. Use: Years of privation harden the protagonist.

Raillery

Definition: good-natured teasing. Use: Raillery masks deeper resentment.

Tumult

Definition: chaos or loud disorder. Use: The tumult of the crowd signals social unrest.

Zenith

Definition: highest point or peak. Use: The character reaches the zenith of power before falling.