AP Lit Vocab 4-6

affinity

(n.) a natural attraction to a person, thing, or activity; a relationship, connection

bilious

(adj.) peevish or irritable; sickeningly unpleasant

cognate

(adj.) closely related in origin, essential nature, or function; (n.) such a person or thing

corollary

(n.) a proposition that follows from one already proven; a natural consequence or result; (adj.) resultant or consequent

cul-de-sac

(n.) a blind alley or dead-end street; any situation in which further progress is impossible; an impasse

derring-do

(n.) valor or heroism; daring deeds or exploits (often used to poke fun at false heroics)

divination

(n.) the art or act of predicting the future or discovering hidden knowledge

elixir

(n.) a potion once thought capable of curing all ills and maintaining life indefinitely; a panacea; a sweet liquid used as a vehicle in medicines

folderol

(n.) foolish talk, ideas, or procedures; nonsense; a trifle

gamut

(n.) an entire range or series

hoi polloi

(n.) the common people, the masses

ineffable

(adj) not expressible in words; too great or too sacred to be uttered

lucubration

(n.) laborious study or thought, especially at night; the result of such work

mnemonic

(adj.) relating to or designed to assist the memory; (n.) a device to aid the memory

obloquy

(n.) public abuse indicating strong disapproval or censure; the disgrace resulting from such treatment

parameter

n. a determining or characteristic element; a factor that shapes the final outcome; a limit; a boundary

pundit

(n.) a learned person; one who gives authoritative opinions

risible

(adj.) pertaining to laughter; able or inclined to laugh; laughable

symptomatic

(adj.) typical or characteristic; being or concerned with a symptom of a disease

volte-face

(n.) an about-face; a complete reversal

Aficionado

(n.) an enthusiastic and usually expert follower or fan

Browbeat

(v.) to intimidate by a stern or overbearing manner; to bully

Commensurate

(adj.) equal in size, extent, duration, or importance; proportionate; measurable by the same standards

Diaphanous

(adj.) very sheet and light; almost completely transparent

Emolument

(n.) profit derived from an office or position or from employment; a fee or salary

Foray

(n.) a quick raid, especially for plunder; a venture into some field of endeavor; (v.) to make such a raid

Genre

(n.) a type, class, or variety, especially a distinctive category of literary composition; a style of painting in which everyday scenes are realistically depicted

Homily

(n.) a sermon stressing moral principles; a tedious moralizing lecture or discourse

Immure

(v.) to enclose or confine within walls; to imprison; to seclude or isolate

Insouciant

(adj.) blithely indifferent or unconcerned; carefree; happy-go-lucky

Matrix

(n.) a mold; the surrounding situation or environment

Obsequies

(n.) funeral rites or ceremonies

Panache

(n.) a confident and stylish manner, dash; a strikingly elaborate or colorful display

Persona

(n.) a character in a novel or play; the outward character or role that a person assumes

Philippic

(n.) a bitter verbal attack

Prurient

(adj.) having lustful desires or interests; tending to arouse sexual desires

Sacrosanct

(adj.) very sacred or holy; inviolable; set apart or immune from questioning or attack

Systemic

(adj.) of or pertaining to the entire body

Tendentious

(adj.) intended to promote a particular point of view, doctrine, or cause; biased or partisan

Vicissitude

(n.) a change, variation, or alteration; (pl.) successive or changing phases or conditions

aficionado synonyms

devotee, enthusiast

browbeat synonyms

cow, coerce

browbeat antonyms

cajole, coax, wheedle, sweet-talk

commensurate synonyms

comparable, corresponding, coordinate

diaphanous synonyms

translucent, gossamer

diaphanous antonyms

opaque, dense

emolument synonyms

pay, wages, compensation

foray synonyms

sally, sortie

foray antonyms

retreat

genre synonyms

species, sort, school

insouciant synonyms

blase, devil-may-care

insouciant antonyms

worried, careworn, agitated, distraught

matrix synonyms

pattern, model

obsequies synonyms

funeral services

panache synonyms

style, verve, élan, éclat

persona synonyms

personality, image, role

philippic synonyms

harangue, tirade, diatribe

philippic antonyms

encomium, panegyric

prurient synonyms

lascivious, lewd, titillating

systemic synonyms

extensive, comprehensive, system-wide

tendentious synonyms

partial

tendentious antonyms

fair, equitable, disinterested

vicissitude synonyms

fluctuation, vacillation

vicissitude antonyms

sameness, evenness

Abortive

(adj.) failing to accomplish an intended aim or purpose; only partially or imperfectly developed

Bruit

(v.) to spread news, reports, or unsubstantiated rumors

Contumelious

(adj.) insolent or rude in speech or behavior; insultingly abusive; humiliating

Dictum

(n.) a short saying; an authoritative statement

Ensconce

(v.) to settle comfortably and firmly in position; to put or hide in a safe place

Iconoclastic

(adj.) attacking or seeking to overthrow popular or traditional beliefs, ideas, or institutions

In medias res

(adv.) in or into the middle of a plot; into the middle of things

Internecine

(adj.) mutually destructive; characterized by great slaughter and bloodshed

Maladroit

(adj.) lacking skill or dexterity; tacking tact, perception, or judgment

Maudlin

(adj.) excessively or effusively sentimental

Modulate

(v.) to change or vary the intensity or pitch; to temper or soften; to regulate, adjust

Portentous

(adj.) foreshadowing an event to come; causing wonder or awe; self-consciously weighty, pompous

Prescience

(n.) knowledge of events or actions before they happen, foresight

Quid pro quo

(n.) something given in exchange or return for something else

Salubrious

(adj.) conducive to health or well-being; wholesome

Saturnalian

(adj.) characterized by riotous or unrestrained revelry or licentiousness

Touchstone

(n.) a means of testing worth or genuineness

Traumatic

(adj.) so shocking to the emotions as to cause lasting and substantial psychological damage

Vitiate

(v.) to weaken, debase, or corrupt; to impair the quality or value of

Waggish

(adj.) fond of making jokes; characteristic of a joker; playfully humorous of droll

abortive synonyms

miscarried, fruitless

abortive antonyms

realized, consummated

bruit synonyms

noise abroad, blazon

bruit antonyms

cover up, hush up

contumelious synonyms

vituperative, excoriating

contumelious antonyms

laudatory, commendatory, deferential

dictum synonyms

maxim, precept, aphorism, axiom

ensconce synonyms

lodge, entrench

ensconce antonyms

unseat, oust

iconoclastic synonyms

image-breaking, irreverent, heretical

internecine synonyms

murderous, savage, ruinous

internecine antonyms

peaceful, harmonious, constructive

maladroit synonyms

inept, awkward, gauche

maladroit antonyms

dexterous, deft, tactful

maudlin synonyms

mushy, mawkish

modulate synonyms

adapt, moderate