AP Lit Vocab Unit 4, 5, & 6 (Semester 1)

affinity

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

affinity synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: inclination, penchant

antonyms: aversion, distaste

bilious

(adj.) peevish or irritable; sickeningly unpleasant

bilious synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: choleric, irascible, peevish, splenetic

antonyms: sweet-tempered, genial, pleasant, delightful

cognate

(adj.) closely related in origin, essential nature, or function

(n.) such a person or thing

cognate synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: allied, affiliated, relative

antonyms: dissimilar

corollary

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

(adj.) resultant or consequent

corollary synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: deduction, conclusion

antonyms: axiom, postulate, premise

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)

derring-do synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: audacity, bravado, pyrotechnics

antonyms: cowardice, poltroon

divination

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

divination synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: prophecy

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

elixir synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: nostrum, tonic

folderol

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

folderol synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: gibberish

antonyms: sense, significance

gamut

(n.) an entire range or series

gamut synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: compass, sweep

hoi polloi

(n.) the common people, the masses

hoi polloi synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: rank and file

antonyms: aristocracy, elite, upper class

ineffable

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

ineffable synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: inexpressible

lucubration

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

lucubration synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: burning the midnight oil

mnemonic

(adj.) relating to or designed to assist the memory

(n.) a device to aid the memory

mnemonic synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: reminder, clue

obloquy

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

obloquy synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: discredit, opprobrium, dishonor

antonyms: praise, acclaim, approbation

parameter

(n.) a determining or characteristic element; a factor that shapes the total outcome; a limit, boundary

pundit

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

pundit synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: expert, authority, savant

antonyms: dilettante, layman, amateur

risible

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

risible synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: droll, ludicrous

antonyms: depressing, heartrending, poignant

symptomatic

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

symptomatic synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: indicative

volte-face

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

volte-face synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: turnabout

aficionado

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

aficionado synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: devotee, enthusiast

browbeat

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

browbeat synonyms & antnonyms

synonyms: cow, coerce

antonyms: cajole, coax, wheedle, sweet-talk

commensurate

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

commensurate synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: comparable, corresponding, coordinate

diaphanous

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

diaphanous synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: translucent, gossamer

antonyms: opaque, dense

emolument

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

emolument synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: pay, wages

foray

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

(v.) to make such a raid

foray synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: sally, sortie

antonyms: retreat

genre

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

genre synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: species, sort, school

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

immure synonyms & antonyms

antonyms: release, liberate, emancipate

insouciant

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

insouciant synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: blase, devil-may-care

antonyms: worried, careworn, agitated, distraught

matrix

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

matrix synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: pattern, model

obsequies

(n.) funeral rites or ceremonies

obsequies synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: funeral services

panache

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

panache synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: style, verse, elan, eclat

persona

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

persona synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: personality, image, role

phillippic

(n.) a bitter verbal attack

philippic synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: harangue, diatribe

antonyms: encomium, panegyric

prurient

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

prurient synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: lascivious, lewd, titillating

antonyms: prudish, demure

sacrosanct

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

systemic

(adj.) of or pertaining to the entire body; relating to a system or systems

systemic synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: extensive, comprehensive, system-wide

antonyms: specific, isolated, confined, localized

tendentious

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

tendentious synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: partial

antonyms: fair, equitable, disinterested

vicissitude

(n.) a change, variation, or alteration

(pl. n) successive or changing phases or conditions

vicissitude synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: fluctuation, vacillation

antonyms: sameness, evenness

abortive

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

abortive synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: miscarried, fruitless

antonyms: realized, consummated

bruit

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

bruit synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: noise abroad, blazon

antonyms: cover up, hush up

contumelious

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

contumelious synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: vituperative, excoriating

antonyms: laudatory, commendatory, differential

dictum

(n.) a short saying; an authoritative statement

dictum synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: maxim, precept, aphorism, axiom

ensconce

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

ensconce synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: lodge, entrench

antonyms: unseat, oust

iconoclastic

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

iconoclastic synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: image-breaking, irreverent, heretical

antonyms: conservative, reverent, orthodox

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

internecine synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: murderous, savage, ruinous

antonyms: peaceful, harmonious, constructive

maladroit

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

maladroit synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: inept, awkward, gauche

antonyms: dexterous, deft, tactful

maudlin

(adj.) excessively or effusively sentimental

maudlin synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: mush, mawkish

modulate

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

modulate synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: adapt, moderate

portentous

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

portentous synonyms & antonyms

synonyms: foreboding, ominous, pretentious

antonyms: auspicious, encouraging, propitious

prescience

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