Untitled Flashcards Set

Abstract

Existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence.

Accismus

A rhetorical device where a person pretends to refuse something they actually desire.

Adage

A traditional saying expressing a common experience or observation; a proverb.

Ambiguity

The quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness.

Anachronism

Something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time.

Anecdote

A short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.

Annotation

A note of explanation or comment added to a text or diagram.

Aphorism

A concise, pointed, and often paradoxical statement of a principle or truth.

Apollonian

Relating to the rational, ordered, and self-disciplined aspects of human nature.

Archetype

A very typical example of a certain person or thing; an original model or prototype.

Bard

A poet, traditionally one reciting epics and associated with a particular oral tradition.

Bathos

An effect of anticlimax created by an unintentional lapse in mood from the sublime to the trivial or ridiculous.

Belle-lettres

Literature that is considered fine or elegant, often used to refer to writings that are more aesthetic than practical.

Bibliography

A list of the books and articles referred to in a scholarly work.

Bombast

High-sounding language with little meaning, used to impress people.

Burlesque

An exaggerated, often absurd imitation of something, typically used for comic effect.

Cacophony

A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.

Canon

A general law, rule, or principle by which something is judged; a body of work considered authoritative or classic.

Caricature

A picture or description that exaggerates or distorts certain characteristics for comic effect.

Circumlocution

The use of many words to express something that could be said more directly.

Cynic

A person who believes that people are motivated purely by self-interest, often distrustful of others' motives.

Denouement

The final part of a narrative, in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved.

Deus ex machina

A plot device where an unsolvable problem is suddenly and abruptly resolved by an unexpected and unlikely occurrence.

Dialectic

The art of investigating or discussing the truth of opinions, often involving a logical exchange of ideas.

Didactic

Intended to teach, particularly in a moral or instructive way.