Unit 1-3 AP Lang Vocab
Vocabulary Words
Acuity (noun): Sharpness or keenness of thought, vision, or hearing.
Synonym: Sharpness
Antonym: Dullness
Adept (adjective): Highly skilled or proficient at something.
Synonym: Skilled
Antonym: Inept
Admonish (verb): To warn or reprimand someone firmly.
Synonym: Reprove
Antonym: Praise
Ambiguous (adjective): Open to more than one interpretation; unclear or inexact.
Synonym: Vague
Antonym: Clear
Apocalyptic (adjective): Relating to the complete destruction of the world; prophetic.
Synonym: Catastrophic
Antonym: Hopeful
Apocryphal (adjective): Of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.
Synonym: Fictitious
Antonym: Authentic
Appellation (noun): A name or title.
Synonym: Designation
Antonym: Removal of title
Archetype (noun): A very typical example of a certain person or thing.
Synonym: Model
Antonym: Aberration
Ascertain (verb): To find out or learn with certainty.
Synonym: Determine
Antonym: Overlook
Assiduous (adjective): Showing great care and perseverance.
Synonym: Diligent
Antonym: Lazy
Baize (noun): A coarse woolen fabric often used for covering billiard tables.
Synonym: Felt
Antonym: Smooth fabric
Base (adjective): Lacking moral principles; ignoble.
Synonym: Despicable
Antonym: Noble
Bastion (noun): A stronghold or fortification.
Synonym: Fortress
Antonym: Weakness
Berate (verb): To scold or criticize someone angrily.
Synonym: Rebuke
Antonym: Compliment
Bourgeoisie (noun): The middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values.
Synonym: Middle class
Antonym: Proletariat
Calumny (noun): The making of false and defamatory statements about someone.
Synonym: Slander
Antonym: Praise
Cant (noun): Insincere, especially conventional expressions of enthusiasm for high ideals, goodness, or piety.
Synonym: Hypocrisy
Antonym: Honesty
Censure (verb): To express severe disapproval of someone or something.
Synonym: Condemn
Antonym: Approve
Choleric (adjective): Bad-tempered or irritable.
Synonym: Quick-tempered
Antonym: Even-tempered
Coarse (adjective): Rough or loose in texture or grain; lacking refinement.
Synonym: Rough
Antonym: Fine
Confute (verb): To prove a person or an assertion to be wrong.
Synonym: Disprove
Antonym: Confirm
Connoisseur (noun): An expert judge in matters of taste.
Synonym: Expert
Antonym: Novice
Corporeal (adjective): Relating to a person's body, especially as opposed to their spirit.
Synonym: Physical
Antonym: Spiritual
Decry (verb): To publicly denounce or criticize.
Synonym: Condemn
Antonym: Praise
Defer (verb): To yield to the wishes or opinions of others.
Synonym: Submit
Antonym: Insist
Deliquesce (verb): To become liquid, typically upon absorbing moisture.
Synonym: Dissolve
Antonym: Solidify
Dilatory (adjective): Slow to act; intended to cause delay.
Synonym: Tardy
Antonym: Prompt
Disparage (verb): To regard or represent as being of little worth.
Synonym: Belittle
Antonym: Praise
Draught (noun): A current of air; also, a drink.
Synonym: Draft
Antonym: Stagnation
Dray (noun): A low cart without sides, used for carrying heavy loads.
Synonym: Cart
Antonym: None
Dyspeptic (adjective): Of or having indigestion or consequent irritability.
Synonym: Irritable
Antonym: Cheerful
Elicit (verb): To draw out a response or reaction.
Synonym: Evoke
Antonym: Suppress
Emit (verb): To produce or discharge something, especially gas or radiation.
Synonym: Release
Antonym: Absorb
Espionage (noun): The practice of spying or using spies to obtain information.
Synonym: Spying
Antonym: Transparency
Facile (adjective): Appearing neat and comprehensive only by ignoring the complexities of an issue; superficial.
Synonym: Simplistic
Antonym: Complex
Feign (verb): To pretend to be affected by (a feeling, state, or injury).
Synonym: Pretend
Antonym: Be honest
Fester (verb): To become infected or inflamed; to rot.
Synonym: Decay
Antonym: Heal
Festoon (verb): To decorate a place with ribbons, garlands, or other decorations.
Synonym: Adorn
Antonym: Strip
Fledgeling (noun): A young bird that has just acquired its feathers; a novice or inexperienced person.
Synonym: Novice
Antonym: Expert
Gainsay (verb): To deny or contradict.
Synonym: Dispute
Antonym: Confirm
Genuflect (verb): To bend one knee to the ground, typically in worship or as a sign of respect.
Synonym: Kneel
Antonym: Stand
Grandeur (noun): Splendor and impressiveness, especially of appearance or style.
Synonym: Magnificence
Antonym: Insignificance
Grudging (adjective): Given, granted, or allowed only reluctantly or resentfully.
Synonym: Unwilling
Antonym: Eager
Hack (verb): To cut or chop in a rough or irregular manner.
Synonym: Chop
Antonym: Smooth
Husbanded (verb): To manage prudently and in a conservative manner.
Synonym: Conserve
Antonym: Waste
Illicit (adjective): Forbidden by law, rules, or custom.
Synonym: Illegal
Antonym: Legal
Illusory (adjective): Based on illusion; not real.
Synonym: Deceptive
Antonym: Real
Imbibe (verb): To drink; to absorb or assimilate (ideas or knowledge).
Synonym: Drink
Antonym: Disperse
Inexorable (adjective): Impossible to stop or prevent; relentless.
Synonym: Unyielding
Antonym: Yielding
Introspection (noun): The examination of one's own conscious thoughts and feelings.
Synonym: Self-examination
Antonym: Extrospection
Kowtow (verb): To act in an excessively subservient manner.
Synonym: Bow
Antonym: Stand firm
Languid (adjective): Weak or faint from illness or fatigue; slow and relaxed.
Synonym: Sluggish
Antonym: Energetic
Latent (adjective): Existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden or concealed.
Synonym: Dormant
Antonym: Active
Magnanimity (noun): The fact or condition of being generous or noble.
Synonym: Generosity
Antonym: Selfishness
Malevolent (adjective): Having or showing a wish to do evil to others.
Synonym: Malicious
Antonym: Benevolent
Mutton (noun): The flesh of sheep, especially mature sheep.
Synonym: Sheep meat
Antonym: None
Orthodoxy (noun): Authorized or generally accepted theory, doctrine, or practice.
Synonym: Conformity
Antonym: Heresy
Parochial (adjective): Relating to a parish; having a limited or narrow outlook.
Synonym: Narrow-minded
Antonym: Broad-minded
Pathos (noun): A quality that evokes pity or sadness.
Synonym: Emotion
Antonym: Indifference
Pecuniary (adjective): Relating to or consisting of money.
Synonym: Financial
Antonym: Nonfinancial
Permeate (verb): To spread throughout something; to seep through.
Synonym: Penetrate
Antonym: Contain
Pernicious (adjective): Having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way.
Synonym: Destructive
Antonym: Beneficial
Pious (adjective): Devoutly religious; making a hypocritical display of virtue.
Synonym: Reverent
Antonym: Irreligious
Plait (verb): To braid or intertwine strands of hair or other material.
Synonym: Braid
Antonym: Unravel
Porter (noun): A person employed to carry luggage and other loads.
Synonym: Bellhop
Antonym: Guest
Prattle (verb): To talk at length in a foolish or inconsequential way.
Synonym: Chatter
Antonym: Speak seriously
Precipitate (verb): To cause (an event or situation) to happen suddenly or unexpectedly.
Synonym: Hasten
Antonym: Delay
Precocious (adjective): Having developed certain abilities or proclivities at an earlier age than usual.
Synonym: Advanced
Antonym: Delayed
Prerogative (noun): A right or privilege exclusive to a particular individual or class.
Synonym: Privilege
Antonym: Obligation
Profligate (adjective): Recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources.
Synonym: Wasteful
Antonym: Frugal
Prostrate (adjective): Lying stretched out on the ground with one's face downward; completely overcome.
Synonym: Supine
Antonym: Upright
Prudent (adjective): Acting with or showing care and thought for the future.
Synonym: Wise
Antonym: Reckless
Qualm (noun): An uneasy feeling of doubt, worry, or fear.
Synonym: Anxiety
Antonym: Confidence
Recitation (noun): The action of repeating something aloud from memory.
Synonym: Recital
Antonym: Silence
Reiterate (verb): To say something again or a number of times, typically for emphasis or clarity.
Synonym: Repeat
Antonym: Withdraw
Etymologies
ab-: Away from (abduct)
-ability: Capable of being (reliability)
-ade: Action or process (parade)
-algia: Pain (neuralgia)
ambi-: Both (ambidextrous)
anti-: Against (antibiotic)
arch-: Chief or principal (archenemy)
-ard: One who does (coward)
astro-: Relating to stars (astronomy)
-athon: A specified activity over a period (marathon)
audio-: Relating to sound (audiovisual)
auto-: Self (automobile)
bene-: Good or well (beneficial)
bi-: Two (bicycle)
biblio-: Book (bibliography)
bio-: Life (biology)
contra-: Against (contradict)
cosmo-: Universe (cosmopolitan)
counter-: Opposite (counteract)
cryo-: Cold (cryogenics)
cardio-: Heart (cardiology)
chrono-: Time (chronology)
-cide: Killing (homicide)
-cracy: Rule or government (democracy)
demi-: Half (demigod)
dendro-: Tree (dendrology)
-derm: Skin (epidermis)
dia-: Through or across (diameter)
dis-: Apart or away (disconnect)
dys-: Bad or difficult (dysfunctional)