AP Notes, Outlines, Study Guides, Vocabulary, Practice Exams and more!

AP language definitions Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
4755200560AbsoluteA word free from limitations or qualifications ("best", "all", "unique", "perfect")0
4755200561AdageA familiar proverb or wise saying1
4755200562Ad hominem argumentAn argument attacking an individual's character rather than his or her position on an issue2
4755200563AllegoryA literary work in which characters, objects, or actions represent abstractions3
4755200564AlliterationThe repetition of inti consonant sounds in successive or neighboring words4
4755200565AllusionA reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize5
4755200566AnalogyA comparison of two different things that are similar in some way6
4755200567AnaphoraThe repetition of words or phrases at the begging of consecutive lines or sentences7
4755200568AnecdoteA brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event8
4755200569AntecedentThe word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers9
4755200570AntithesisA statement that expresses succinctly a general truth or idea, often using rhyme or balance10
4755200571ApostropheA figure of speech in which one directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, or some abstraction11
4755200572ArchetypeA detail, image, or character type that occurs frequently in literature and myth and is thought to appeal in a universal way to the unconscious and to evoke a response12
4755200573ArgumentA statement of the meaning or main point of a literary work13
4755200574AsyndetonA construction in which elements are presented in a series without conjunctions14
4755200575Balanced sentenceA sentence in which words, phrases, or clauses are set off against each other to emphasize a content15
4755200576BathosInsincere or overly sentimental quality of writing/speech intended to evoke pity16
4755200577ChiasmusA statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed ("Susan walked in, and out rushed Mary")17
4755200578ClichéAn expression that has been overused to the extent that it's freshness has worn off18
4755200579ClimaxThe point of highest interest in a literary work19
4755200580ColloquialismInformal words or expressions not usually acceptable in formal writing20
4755200581Complex sentenceA sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause21
4755200582Compound sentenceA sentence with two or more coordinate independent clauses, often joined by one or more conjunctions22
4755200583ConceitA fanciful, particularly clever extended mataphor23
4755200584Concrete detailsDetails that relate to or describe actual, specific things or events24
4755200585ConnotationThe implied or associative meaning of a word25
4755200586Cumulative sentenceA sentence in which the main independent clause is elaborated by the successive addition of modifying clauses or phrases26
4755200587Declarative sentenceA sentence that makes a statement or declaration27

Need Help?

We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.

For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.

If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.

Need Notes?

While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!