AP Lit 100 Good Words

aesthetic

the way art is perceived; beauty or the appreciation of beauty

agency

the capacity of individuals to act independently and to make their own free choices

antithesis

complete opposite

archaic

very old; out of use

archetype, archetypal

more of a deep stereotype; fits the mold of a deep human form

assimilate

blending into the dominant culture

binary

two opposite things to determine value

capitulate

to surrender; yield

construct

big idea (i.e. God, race, etc.)

deconstruct

taking a part of the big idea

existential

how weird it is to be alive; has to do with existence

function

purpose, use

gaze: white gaze, male gaze

the way one is perceived/interpreted by others

hierarchy

social ranking

hubris, hubristic

to think that you're better than God

iconoclast, iconoclastic

intellectual rebel; shatter the icons that everyone else worships

matriarchal, matriarchy

women in control

misogyny, misogynistic, misogynist

hater of women (Andrew Tate)

the other, otherizing, to be othered

made to feel different; made to feel lesser

paradigm

the intellectual rules that a society is built upon

patriarchal, patriarchy

society ruled by men

prescient

the ability to see what is going to happen before others

seminal

semen; where everything comes from

signify

function

subvert

to rebel against; flip upside down

superfluous

extra and unecessary

transgress, transgressive

an action so terrible it's like a sin

transcend

to rise above a (false) construct

usurp

take power that isn't yours to take

zeitgeist

the spirit of the times; what's in the air

anachronism

something belonging or appropriate to a period other than where it exists

anathema

something/someone that one vehemently dislikes

angst

deep anxiety; dread

apocryphal

a story of doubtful authenticity widely circulated as being true

benevolent; benevolence

well meaning; kindness

catharsis, cathartic

relief of strong, repressed emotions

coy

showing pretense of shyness or modesty intended to be alluring

decadence, decadent

self indulgent; an indulgence

eccentric

unconventional; slightly strange

eclectic

deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad/diverse range of resources

egregious

outstandingly bad; shocking

ennui

boredom

ephemeral

lasting for a very short time

etheral

delicate; seems too perfect for this world

fervent

displaying/having passionate intensity

grave

serious; solemn

hedonism, hedonistic

engaged in the pursuit of pleasure; sensually self-indulgent

incredulous

unwilling or unable to believe something

indignant

anger; annoyance at something perceived as unfair

innocuous

not harmful or offensive

insatiable

impossible to satisfy appetite or desire

intrepid

fearless; adventerous

irreverent, irreverance

lack of respect for people/things taken seriously

macabre

disturbing or horrifying because of involvement with/depiction of death and injury

malevolent, malevolence

wish to do evil to others

melancholy

pensive sadness with no obvious cause

mercurial

person who's subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind

mundane

dull

obsequious

obedient or attentive to an excessive degree

ominous

giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen

pastoral

used for/related to the keeping or grazing of sheep/cattle

poignant

evoking a keenly felt sense of emotion, especially bittersweet sadness or regret

primordial

existing at the beginning of time

quintessential, quintessence

representing the most perfect example of a quality or class

sadistic, sadism

deriving pleasure from inflicting pain or suffering on others

somber

gloomy; dark or dull in color

solemn

formal; dignified

sublime

something of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty to inspire great admiration

ubiquitous, ubiquity

present; appearing to be found everywhere

whimsical

playfully quaint or forceful, especially in an appealing or amusing way

absurd

makes no sense; crazy

acerbic

sarcastic

banal

commonplace; boring

bellicose

aggressive; hostile

billigerence, billigerent

hostile

crass

vulgar

cynical

pessimistic; glass-half empty attitude

debauchery

decadence; bad and naughty things

despondent

low in spirits; hopeless

didactic

a lesson meant to teach a moral lesson

disdainful

not into it; dismissive

effervescent

light and bubbly

effusive

very enthusastic

fantastic, fantastical

otherwordly

gaudy

tacky; showy

incendiary

revolutionary; can also mean fire device; ability to light a fire (metaphorical)

insouciant, insouciance

bored; snotty attitude; rebel-like

mellifluous

pleasant sounding voice

mirth, mirthful

happiness

morose

really sad

mundane

boring; repetitive

omniscient

all-knowing

omnipotent

all-powerful

pedant, pedantic

stress little, dumb details (McNulty tests)

revelry, reveler, revel

partying

rustic

old; vintage

sardonic

sarcastic

sonorous

deep sound

wanton

lewd; do things in a promiscious way

woo

to court someone