AP Style Quiz #6

Mistress

Morphology: miss- (“female head”) + -tress (“female agent”)

Etymology: Old French maistresse → English (14th c.)

Definition: Woman in authority or control; sometimes a woman in an extramarital relationship

Gaudy

Morphology: gaud- (“joy, show”) + -y (“characterized by”)

Etymology: Middle English gaudie → English (15th c.)

Definition: Flashy, showy, or overly elaborate

Hardwicke's Marriage Act of 1753

The first English and Welsh law requiring formal, public marriage ceremonies and parental consent for those under 21, replacing the prior system of "clandestine" or "irregular" marriages.

Gretna Green

A Scottish village on the border with England, famous as the traditional destination for eloping couples due to lax marriage laws in Scotland before 1754, which allowed people to marry without parental consent or long residency requirements.

Literary Device

Morphology: literary (“relating to literature”) + device (“tool, technique”)

Etymology: Latin literarius + Latin divisus → English (14th c.)

Definition: Technique authors use to create effects or convey meaning

Symbol

Morphology: sym- (“together”) + bol- (“throw, cast”)

Etymology: Greek symbolon → Latin → English (14th c.)

Definition: Object, character, or action representing a deeper idea

Imagery

Morphology: image (“likeness, picture”) + -ry (“collection, quality”)

Etymology: Latin imago → Old French → English (14th c.)

Definition: Language that creates vivid sensory experiences

Character Arc

Morphology: character (“personality, role”) + arc (“curve, progression”)

Etymology: Greek charaktēr + Latin arcus → English (14th–16th c.)

Definition: Transformation or development of a character over a story