AP Lang Vocab List #1

Adroit

Meaning: skillful, clever (adj.)

Example: Everyone knew he was adroit with figures, but he lacked the facility for public speaking.

Adulterate

Meaning: To make impure, to contaminate (verb) or -impure (adj.)

Example: The fumes from the automobiles adulterated the air

Adventitious

Meaning: accidental; nonessential (adj.)

Example: The scientists announced the breakthrough at a press conference and admitted it had been an adventitious outcome.

Aegis

Meaning: a shield; protection; sponsorship (noun)

Example: The candidate felt that he had a chance in the election because of the aegis of a former officeholder.

Aesthetic

Meaning: pertaining to beauty (adj.)

Example: The house was a bargain financially, but it lacked an aesthetic quality.

Affectation

Meaning: a phony attitude; pose (noun)

Example: John felt that the outspoken Ruth was the only girl there who did not have an affectations.

Affinity

Meaning: an attraction to (noun)

Example: The young man had an affinity for fact cars and easy money

Affluence

Meaning: wealth; richness (noun)

Example: Although Paul’s family had much affluence, he was content to make do without their help.

Agape

Meaning: open-mouthed; surprised; agog (adj.)

Example: Even the judge was agape when the witness told the ridiculous story in court.

Aggrandize

Meaning: to enlarge; to expand (verb)

Example: Much of what they did was not to aid their country but to aggrandize their own positions.

Altruism

Meaning: a concern for others; generosity (noun)

Example: Ben’s altruism was apparent as he stopped at the scene of the accident to offer his assistance.

Ambiguous

Meaning: Open to more than one interpretation (adj.)

Example: The candidate’s ambiguous comments tended to confuse the issue even more.

Amoral

Meaning: Lacking a sense of right and wrong (adj.)

Example: although a greedy man, he was not amoral; there were some things he would not do for money.

Amorphous

Meaning: shapeless, formless, vague (adj.)

Example: Although the essay was due in two days, John couldn’t get a handle on the topic, which remained amorphous in his mind.

Animosity

Meaning: hatred (noun)

Example: There was a general feeling of animosity toward the judge for giving the boys such as harsh sentence.

morph-

to form or to change (amorphous)

-ate/-ade

action or process (adulterate)