AP English Vocab

Accrue

To increase, accumulate, gain

Feckless

Useless, unproductive

Misanthrope

Hating mankind

Raiment

Clothing garments

Bucolic

Rustic, countryside or its people

Abstract

A summary of an article or source document

Accent

Emphasis on a syllable or word

Acronym

A word formed from the initials of other words

Acrostic Poem

A poem in which the first letter of each line forms a name or motto

Ad Hominem argument

An argument against the man used as a n emotional appeal

Acro

Top, a point

Act

To act, to do

Aer

Air

Alb

White

Am

Love

Ample

Large, wide

Anim

Mind, soul

Ann

Year

Archy

Rule

Astro

Star

Allay

To relieve

Cacophonous

Having a harsh sound

Moribund

Dying, about to die

Temporize

To postpone a decision

Colloquial

Conversational, informal

Alexandrine

English verse in iambic hexameter

Allegory

A work that functions on a symbolic level, an extended metaphor

Alliteration

Repetition of sounds within a line

Allusion

Reference to a well-known person, place, thing, or idea

Autobiography

An author who writes about his or her own life

Athl

Prize

Aud

Hear

Bat

To beat

Bell

War

Bibli

Book

Aphasia

Unable to comprehend language

Cynosure

Serving as a guide, focus, center

Vulpine

Resembling a fox

Interloper

Invader

Capitulate

To surrender

Anachronism

An event object custom person or thing that is out of its natural order in time

Anadiplosis

The last word of a line is used as the first word of the next line

Anagram

Word or phrase formed by rearranging letters of another word or phrase

Analogy

A comparison of similar things; uses something familiar to describe something unfamiliar

Anapest

Metrical foot consisting of 3 syllables

assiduous

Diligent, active, constant

Desiccate

Arid, Dull

Perspicacious

aware, keen, discerning

Vituperate

Rebuke, berate

contingency

uncertainty, possibility

Bio

Life

Cad, cas, cid

To fall

Cal, cha(from Calere)

Hot, warm

Cal, cha(from Calvi)

To deceive

Cam, cham

Vault

Anaphora

Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive verses, clauses, or paragraphs

Antagonist

The character who works against the main charcter

Antecedent

The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun

Anthropomorphism

Giving human characteristics to non-human characters

Antithesis

The presentation of two contrasting images that are balanced by word, phrase, clause or paragraphs

Aphorism

A brief statement that makes a wise opservation of life

Apostrophe

address to an absent or imaginary person

Aside

Dialogue not heard by other actors on stage

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds

Ballad

Narrative poetry that presents a single, violent or tragic event often put to music

Captious

Fault finding, entrapping

Emanate

Arise, issue forth

Lassitude

A state of weakness, tired, worn out

Nepotism

favoritism shown to relatives

Diaphanous

Translucent, filmy, vague, insubstantial

Cant, chant

To sing

Cap (fr. Capire)

To take

Cap(fr. Caput)

Head

Cen

To judge, assess

Chron

Time

Educe

To draw out

Preempt

To seize

Subterfuge

Trick

Miscegenation

mixed race marriage

Unwonted

unusual

Fac, fic

make, do

Fer(ous)

Bearing

Fid

Faith

Flex

Bend

Fort

Strength

Dranatic monologue

A single character reveals a dramatic situation to a silent listener

Dramatic poetry

A poem that reveals a dramatic situation

Dynamic character

A person that changes significantly throughout a story

Elegy

A poem that laments a deceased person

Ellison

A segment of a text or word that has been deleted

Discrete

Seperate

Discreet

Judicious

Sonority

Pleasant sounding

Jurisprudence

having to do with decision making

Redolent

sweet smelling

Dialogue

conversation between two characters

Didactic

Text that teach or moralize

Diction

Choice of words

Digression

A literary device when the author creates a temporary departure fro the main subject to focus on related items

Double-entendre

Double meaning where one is often times risque