Ap lang

Whimsy

An object, device, or creation that is fanciful or rooted in unreality.

Verisimilitude

Appearance of reality and truth.

Trope

A figure of speech repeated throughout that is easily recognizable (e.g., 'may the force be with you').

Synecdoche

A figure of speech in which a part represents the whole or the whole represents a part (e.g., 'like my new wheels' referring to a car).

Syllogism

A form of deductive reasoning in which given certain ideas or facts, other ideas or facts must follow.

Subject complement

A grammatical unit consisting of predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives.

Saga

A long, historical, episodic narrative often focusing on a hero, family, or group (e.g., 'Vinland Saga').

Pulp fiction

Novels written for mass consumption, often emphasizing exciting and sensational plots.

Pseudonym

A false name or alias used by a writer.

Prose

Any form of writing that is not poetry.

Predicate

The part of a sentence that is not the subject and says something about the subject.

Periodic sentence

A sentence that delays its main idea until the end, presenting details first.

Pedantic

Excessively concerned with academic detail; overly formal or narrow.

Pathos

The emotional appeal used to persuade an audience.

Pathetic fallacy

Faulty reasoning that attributes human feelings to nature or nonhuman things.

Pastoral

A work of literature dealing with rural or country life.

Parable

A story from which a moral or spiritual truth can be derived.

Omniscient narrator

A narrator with complete knowledge of characters, events, and setting.

Ode

A lyric poem expressing serious, elevated, or respectful feelings.

Non sequitur

A statement that does not logically follow from the previous idea.

Muse

A source of inspiration for a writer or artist.

Motif

A repeated idea, phrase, or element that helps develop a theme.

Metonymy

A figure of speech in which the name of one thing is used to represent something associated with it (e.g., 'The White House', 'The Crown').

Metaphysical

Describing poetry that uses elaborate comparisons and explores complex ideas about life and love.

Melodrama

A work in which events are exaggerated to produce strong emotional responses.

Maxim

A short statement expressing a general truth or rule of conduct.

Malapropism

The incorrect use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one.

Lyrical prose

Personal, reflective prose that reveals thoughts and feelings.

Loose sentence

A sentence that presents the main idea first, followed by subordinate details.

Logos

The appeal to logic used to support an argument.

Litotes

A form of understatement using the negative of the opposite for emphasis.

Lampoon

A satirical attack or ridicule of a person or subject.

Kenning

A poetic expression that replaces a noun with a descriptive phrase.

Invective

Harsh, abusive language directed at a person or idea.

Inductive reasoning

A method of reasoning that moves from specific examples to a general conclusion.

Indirect quotation

A paraphrased version of a quotation rather than the exact words.

Idyll

A passage or poem describing an ideal or peaceful scene or life.

Hubris

Excessive pride, often leading to downfall.

Homily

A sermon or lecture on a moral or religious theme meant to guide behavior.

Harangue

A forceful, often angry speech or rant.

Farce

A comedy involving exaggerated and absurd situations.

Fallacy

Faulty reasoning based on incorrect logic or false information.

Exposition

The background information that introduces the main idea or situation.

Exposé

A factual piece of writing that reveals faults or wrongdoing.

Euphony

Pleasant, harmonious sounds.

Euphemism

A mild or less harsh expression used in place of a blunt one.

Ethos

The credibility or authority of a speaker or writer.

Eponymous

Referring to a character whose name is the title of a work.

Epithet

A descriptive word or phrase expressing a characteristic of a person or thing.

Epigram

A concise, witty, and insightful statement.

Elliptical construction

A sentence that deliberately omits words for brevity.

Ellipsis

Three dots (…) used to indicate omitted words.

Elegy

A poem or prose piece that mourns or reflects on death or loss.

Dramatic irony

A situation in which the audience knows more than the characters.

Dionysian

Relating to pleasure-seeking, emotional, or impulsive behavior.

Digression

A departure from the main subject in speech or writing.

Didactic

Intended to teach or instruct, often in a moralizing way.

Deus ex machina

The use of an artificial or unlikely device to resolve a problem in a story.

Dénouement

The resolution or final outcome of a narrative.

Denotation

The literal or dictionary meaning of a word.

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds in a group of words.

Conceit

A clever or unusual comparison, often expressed in figurative language.

Carpe diem

A phrase meaning 'seize the day' or enjoy the present.

Canon

The works considered most important in a body of literature.

Cacophony

Harsh, unpleasant, or discordant sounds.

Burlesque

A work that ridicules a subject through exaggeration or imitation.

Bombast

Inflated, pretentious language.

Belle-lettres

Literature and literary criticism considered as a whole.

Bathos

Overly sentimental or exaggerated emotion.

Bard

A poet, especially one who recites heroic stories.

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.

Archetype

An original model or universal example of a type.

Arch

Playfully mischievous or sly in tone.

Apostrophe

A figure of speech addressing a person or thing not present.

Apollonian

Representing order, reason, and restraint.

Aphorism

A short, concise statement expressing a general truth.