AP Lit Midterm Vocab

Lists 1-8

scrib-, script-

write

semi-

half, partial

somn-

sleep

spec-, spect-

look, see, observe

tact-, tang-

touch, feel

ten-

hold

term-

end, boundary, finish, limit

tor-, tort-

twist

ven-, vent-

come

vert-, vers-

turn

vid-, vis-

see

voc-, voke-

voice, call

vor-

eat

zo-

animal

volv-, volt-

turn about, roll

abysmal

something so bad it’s indescribable

ambivalent

indecisive (okay with both options)

antipathy

feelings of hostility

apprehensive

doubtful, hesitant, unsure, anxious

complacent

overly confident so you don’t think you need to care, but you do

dismayed

disappointed, distraught, flabbergasted

dubious

doubtful (questioning truth)

jovial

related to joy or being happy

petulant

stubbornly childishly poutful

rancorous

hatred, disdainful, disgust

rash

impulsive, sudden, quick, irrational

somber

related to sadness, dull in tone, melancholic

stoic

emotionless, calm, nonchalant, blank

surly

unhappiness, grumpy, agitated, annoyed

testy

angry, irritable, will fight back

bane

something that ruins happiness, worst, misery

cajole

to persuade into doing something they don’t want to do

caveat

a warning or advice, caution, tip, note

convivial

outgoing, social, extroverted, friendly

disgruntled

disappointed, surly, dismayed, testy, dissatisfied

glean

gradually obtain, extract, gather from

harbinger

an indicator that something is happening, a sign, foreshadow

ogle

stare, look at something you desire

omniscient

knowing everything

pernicious

harmful, destructive (physical, figurative)

prudent

wise, makes proper or appropriate decision, mindful, careful

redress

correct, fix, set right, amend

requited

returned, reciprocated, on the same emotional wavelength

schism

a split, divide, disagreement

unfathomed

mysterious, not known, not yet thought of

austere

plain, boring, dull

bolster

help, strengthen, raise, heighten

candid

straightforward, blunt, honest, genuine

coarse

rough, hard (physical)

concede

admitting reality, accepting the truth, surrendering

defer

pass on, give over to, refer to (someone or something)

egregious

seriously bad, horrible, terrible, appalling, awful

endow

to provide with, to give, usually born with

entrenched

caught up in, stuck, unable to change your mind

enumerate

to list something, recite, recall (a list)

erratic

inconsistent, sporadic, unpredictable

feasible

possible, doable, practical, capable

galvanize

get someone to do something, motivate

insatiable

never-ending hunger, impossible to satisfy

lament

mourn, grieve for, miss

ope-, opu-, oper-

work, function

ortho-

straight, correct

pac-, pax-

peace

paleo-

old, ancient

para-

beside, alongside, next to

per-

through

peri-

around

plac-

accept, please (“grat”)

plu-

more, more of

-poli-

city

pop-

people (“demo”)

psych-

mental, mind, soul

retro-

backward

salv-

save

scope-

look, see, watch

juven-

young, youth

leg-

law

levi-

light, lift

liber-, liver-

free

loc-

place, area

magn-

great, large

main-

primary, foremost, first

man-, manu-

hand, make, do

mar-

sea, pool

mem-

recall

meso-

middle

meta-

beyond, change

min-

little, small

morph-

shape, form

neo-

new

epi-

upon, close to, over, after, altered

equi-

equal

fall-, fals-

deceive

fer-

bear, carry

fid-

belief, faith

fig-

shape, form

fin-

end, ended, finished

flex-, flect-

bend

grad-, gress-

gather, bring together, step, go

grat-

pleasing