AP LITERATURE VOCABULARY LISTS

AP LITERATURE VOCABULARY LISTS 8 ACT-Level Words to be Spelled Correctly & Used in Context 1 Grammar Concept 3-5 Literary Terms VOCAB 1 (September 1 st ) 1. Connotation (n)- the emotional meaning of a word based on the words/ideas surrounding it 2. Denotation (n)- the literal definition of a word 3. Trait (n)- a distinguishing quality or characteristic 4. Intrepid (adj)- feeling no fear, very bold or brave 5. Rudimentary (adj)- involving or limited to basic principles 6. Resolute (adj)- firmly resolved or determined; set in purpose or opinion 7. Antagonize (v)- to cause someone to become hostile 8. Attribute (v)- to regard something as being caused by someone or something VOCAB 2 (September 8 th ) 1. Barrage (n)- the bombardment of someone with something (usually questions, comments, or insults) 2. Discourse (n)- written or spoken communication or debate 3. Analyze (v)- to examine in detail in order to interpret and explain 4. Assert (v)- to state a fact or belief confidently and forcefully 5. Censure (v)- to express severe disapproval of, typically in a formal statement 6. Cognizant (adj)- having knowledge or being aware of 7. Articulate (adj)- able to express ideas clearly and effectively 8. Imminent (adj)- happening very soon VOCAB 3 (September 15 th ) 1. Presage (v)-to give or be a sign of something that will happen in the future 2. Infer (v)- to understand based on evidence rather than from clear statements 3. Subversive (adj)- intending to overthrow, destroy, or undermine an established or existing system 4. Sardonic (adj)- grimly mocking or cynical 5. Callous (adj)- insensitive, indifferent, unsympathetic 6. Filial (adj)- due from a son or daughter, usually refers to a sense of duty 7. Eminent (adj)- successful, well-known and respected 8. Nefarious (adj)- extremely wicked or villainous

VOCAB 4 (September 22 nd ) 1. Mirth (n)- cheerfulness, high spirits 2. Plight (n)- a condition or situation, especially an unfavorable or unfortunate one 3. Predestined (adj)- determined in advance 4. Amorous (adj)- expressing or feeling love 5. Vexed (adj)- annoyed, frustrated, or worried 6. Apprehensive (adj)- anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen 7. Demean (v)- to cause a severe loss in a person s respect for someone or something 8. Obstruct (v)- to get in the way of; prevent VOCAB 5 (September 29 th ) 1. Analogous (adj)- able to be compared 2. Ambiguous (adj)- open to more than one interpretation, having a double meaning 3. Sensory (adj)- relating to the physical senses; perceived by the senses 4. Profound (adj)- very great or intense emotion or idea 5. Depict (v)- to show or represent 6. Engross (v)- to absorb all the attention or interest of 7. Muse (n)- the source of inspiration for a creative artist, also a Greek goddess who presides over art 8. Nuance (n)-a subtle difference in expression, meaning, response, etc. REVIEW QUIZ (October 6 th ) For this quiz, study all vocabulary words and grammar concepts from quizzes 1-5. VOCAB 6 (October 13 th ) 1. Poignant (adj)- evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret 2. Elegiac (adj)- expressing sorrow or lamentation 3. Idyllic (adj)- charmingly simple or rustic, often referring to country life 4. Lyrical (adj)- expressing the writer s emotions in an imaginative and musical way 5. Laudatory (adj)- containing or expressing praise 6. Fleeting (adj)- lasting for a very short time 7. Wistful (adj)- characterized by longing, yearning 8. Ethereal (adj)- extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world VOCAB 7 (October 20 th ) 1. Admonish (v)- to caution, advise, or counsel against something 2. Substantiate (v)- to prove the truth of something 3. Morose (adj)- sullen and ill-tempered 4. Nostalgic (adj)- longing for the past 5. Ominous (adj)- giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen 6. Allegory (n)- a story with a hidden meaning, often a moral or political one 7. Discrepancy (n)- a lack of compatibility or similarity between two or more facts 8. Principle (n)- a fundamental truth that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior

VOCAB 8 (October 27 th ) 1. Antithesis (n)- a phrase that states two opposite things but uses a parallel sentence structure 2. Anecdote (n)- a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person 3. Amity (n)- a friendly relationship 4. Facetious (adj)- not meant to be taken seriously or literally, amusing, humorous 5. Caustic (adj)- sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way 6. Engender (v)- to be the source or cause of something 7. Commence (v)- to begin 8. Omit (v)- to leave out, either intentionally or forgetfully VOCAB 9 (November 3 rd ) 1. Apostrophe (n)- a formal address to a person or thing not present 2. Antics (n)- playful tricks or pranks 3. Lunacy (n)- foolish or senseless behavior 4. Incendiary (adj)- tending to stir up conflict 5. Obstinate (adj)- stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion, despite attempts to persuade one to do so 6. Misogynistic (adj)- exhibiting hatred or mistreatment of women 7. Contrive (v)- to work out a plan, to devise 8. Impute (v)- to attribute a quality or action to someone or something VOCAB 10 (November 17 th ) 1. Conceivable (adj)- capable of being imagined or grasped mentally 2. Concise (adj)- brief but complete 3. Euphemism (n)- the substitution of a milder term for a more harsh or offensive one 4. Aptitude (n)- a natural ability to do something 5. Proclivity (n)- a tendency to choose or do something regularly 6. Correlation (n)- a connection between two or more things 7. Cite (v)- to identify the origin of something 8. Deduce (v)- to draw a logical conclusion REVIEW QUIZ (December 1 st ) For this quiz, study all of the vocabulary words and grammar concepts from quizzes 1-10. VOCAB 11 (January 19 th ) 1. Affront (v)- to insult, especially to the face 2. Rectify (v)- to make something right 3. Disposition (n)- a person s inherent qualities of mind and character 4. Verisimilitude (n)- the appearance of being true or real 5. Void (n)- a completely empty space 6. Latent (adj)- existing but not yet developed or obvious, hidden or concealed 7. Skeptical (adj)- not easily convinced, having doubts or reservations 8. Colloquial (adj)- language used in ordinary conversation, not formal

VOCAB 12 (January 26 th ) 1. Derisive (adj)- expressing contempt or ridicule 2. Capricious (adj)- led by a sudden, odd notion or unpredictable change 3. Incredulous (adj)- unwilling or unable to believe something 4. Acquiesce (v)- to accept something reluctantly but without protest 5. Manifest (v)- to display or show, to demonstrate 6. Orient (v)- to align or position something to a known point or landmark 7. Impasse (n)- a position or situation from which there is no escape, deadlock 8. Epiphany (n)- a sudden insight into the true nature of something, usually initiated by a simple experience VOCAB 13 (February 2 nd ) 1. Vacillate (v)- to waver in mind or opinion, be indecisive 2. Digress (v)- to leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing 3. Allay (v)- to diminish or put at rest, to relieve or alleviate 4. Avert (v)- to turn away or aside 5. Innate (adj)- existing in one from birth; inborn 6. Impervious (adj)- unable to be affected by something/someone 7. Transcendent (adj)- going beyond ordinary limits, surpassing, excelling 8. Diffident (adj)- modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence VOCAB 14 (February 16 th ) 1. Propitious (adj)- giving or indicating a good chance of success 2. Perturbed (adj)- thrown into a state of agitated confusion 3. Arduous (adj)- requiring strenuous effort, difficult and tiring 4. Malleable (adj)- able to be easily molded and shaped (can refer to materials or a type of personality) 5. Enmity (n)- a state of deep-seated ill-will 6. Quandary (n)- a state of uncertainty, a dilemma 7. Bear (v)- to endure an ordeal or difficulty 8. Suppress (v)- to keep in or repress a feeling VOCAB 15 (February 23 rd ) 1. Enigmatic (adj)- difficult to interpret or understand, mysterious 2. Mundane (adj)- common and therefore boring, unimaginative 3. Perpetual (adj)- occurring repeatedly, so frequently as to seem endless and uninterrupted 4. Premise (n)- an idea or theory on which a story/argument is based 5. Pinnacle (n)- the highest point of success, power, or fame 6. Alacrity (n)- brisk and cheerful readiness 7. Rescind (v)- to take back a former belief or statement, to revoke 8. Pique (v)- to excite interest or curiosity

REVIEW QUIZ (March 2 nd ) For this quiz, study all of the vocabulary words and grammar concepts from quizzes 1-15. VOCAB 16 (March 8 th ) 1. Indoctrinated (adj)- having accepted a set of beliefs without question, having been brainwashed 2. Regimented (adj)- strictly controlled 3. Infallible (adj)- incapable of failure or error 4. Omniscient (adj)- having complete awareness and unlimited knowledge 5. Extricate (v)- to free or remove from entanglement or difficulty 6. Deprive (v)- to remove or withhold something from a person s enjoyment or possession 7. Proliferate (v)- to grow rapidly 8. Capitulate (v)- cease to resist an opponent or an unwelcome demand, surrender VOCAB 17 (March 16 th ) 1. Paradigm (n)- a typical example of something, a model 2. Paragon (n)- a person who is a model of excellence, someone of exceptional merit 3. Petulant (adj)- showing sudden, impatient irritation, especially over a trifling annoyance 4. Feckless (adj)- lacking initiative or strength of character, irresponsible 5. Feigned (adj)- not genuine 6. Impeccable (adj)- without fault or error 7. Perceptive (adj)- being able to see what others cannot 8. Plausible (adj)- seeming reasonable or possible VOCAB 18 (March 23 rd ) 1. Amends (n)- compensation for a loss, damage, or injury of any kind 2. Insurrection (n)- organized opposition to authority 3. Ideal (n)- a standard of perfection to be aimed at 4. Ideology (n)- a system of ideas and ideals that make up a company or government 5. Scrupulous (adj)- diligent, thorough, extremely attentive to details 6. Furtive (adj)- marked by quiet caution and secrecy 7. Efface (v)- to erase or remove completely 8. Evade (v)- to escape using trickery or cleverness VOCAB 19 (March 29 th ) 1. Pernicious (adj)- having a harmful effect gradually over time 2. Pertinent (adj)- relevant to a particular matter 3. Suppliant (adj)- making or expressing a plea (describes a person s face/expression) 4. Unrequited (adj)- love that is not returned 5. Respite (n)- an interval of relief 6. Paradigm shift (n)- a fundamental change in the way a person views the world 7. Recant (v)- to say that one no longer holds a belief (usually against a government or religion) 8. Suffice (v)- to be adequate, to satisfy

VOCAB 20 (April 13 th ) 1. Ellipsis (n)- something that is left out of a sentence or story, marked with three dots 2. Enjambment (n)- a complete thought extends over 2 lines of poetry 3. Epithet (n)- an adjective or descriptive phrase that describes a person 4. Epistrophe (n)- the repetition of word (or words) at the end of phrases, the opposite of anaphora 5. Eulogy (n)- a speech or piece of writing that praises someone who has died 6. Epistolary (n)- a literary work in the form of letters 7. Epigraph (n)- a quote or inscription at the beginning of a book or on a building, statue, or coin 8. Epigram (n)- a short, witty saying that expresses an idea in an amusing way FINAL REVIEW QUIZ (April 20 th ) For this quiz, study all of the vocabulary words and grammar concepts from quizzes 1-20.