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

AP Literature Terms Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
7805740768allusiona reference in a work of literature to something outside the work0
7805740769attitudethe disposition toward or opinion of a subject by a speaker, author, or character1
7805740770allegorya story in which the people, things, and events have another extended, frequently abstract meaning2
7805740771alliterationthe repetition of similar or identical consonant sounds, normally at the beginning of words3
7805740772ambiguitymultiple meanings that a literary work may communicate, especially when two meanings are incompatible4
7805740773antecedentthe word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers5
7805740774apostrophedirect address, usually to someone or something that is not present6
7805740775assonancethe repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds7
7805740776ballad metera four-line stanza rhymed abcd in which lines one and three have four feet and lines two and four have three feet8
7805740777blank verseunrhymed iambic pentameter9
7805740778clausea group of words containing a subject and its verb that may or may not form a complete sentence10
7805740779connotationthe implications of a word or a phrase, or the emotions associated with it, as opposed to its exact meaning (denotation)11
7805740780conventiona device of style or subject matter that is used so often that it becomes a recognized means of expression.fig12
7805740781dactyla metrical foot of three syllables, including an accented syllable followed by two unaccented syllables13
7805740782detailsare the individual items or parts that make up a larger picture or story14
7805740783denotationthe specific, literal meaning of a word to be found in a dictionary, as opposed to connotation15
7805740784devices of soundThe techniques of deploying the sound of words, especially in poetry Ex. rhyme, alliteration, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia16
7805740785didacticexplicitly instructive17
7805740786dictionword choice, "techniques" of a passage, prose, or poem18
7805740787digressionthe inclusion of material unrelated to the actual subject of a work19
7805740788ellipsisa phrase that omits some words that would be necessary for a complete construction20
7805740789end-stoppeda line with a pause at the end21
7805740790free versepoetry that is not written in a traditional meter but is still rhythmical22
7805740791heroic couplettwo end-stopped iambic pentameter lines rhymed aa, bb, cc, usually containing a complete thought in the two-line unit23
7805740792hexametera line containing six feet24
7805740793iamba two-syllable foot with an unaccented syllable followed by an accented syllable25
7805740794internal rhymerhyme that occurs within a rhyme26
7805740795epigrama pithy saying, often employing contrast; a verse form, which is usually brief and pointed27
7805740796euphemisma figure of speech utilizing indirection to avoid offensive bluntness, such as "deceased" for "dead" or "remains" for "corpse"28
7805740797figurative languagefigures of speech, such as metaphor, simile, and irony29
7805740798grotesquecharacterized by distortions or incongruities30
7805740799jargonthe specialized language of a profession or group31
7805740800literalthe precise, explicit meaning32
7805740801imageryimages created by literary works, sensory details33
7805740802imperativethe mood of a verb that gives an order34
7805740803ironya figure of speech in which the intended meaning and the actual meaning differ35
7805740804metaphora figurative use of language in which a comparison is expressed without the use of a comparative term like "as", "like", or "than"36
7805740805modifyto restrict or limit in meaning "large, shaggy dog"37
7805740806narrative techniquesthe methods involved in telling a story; the procedures used by a writer of stories or accounts38
7805740807omniscient point of viewthe vantage point of a story in which the narrator can know, see, and report whatever he or she chooses39
7805740808oxymorona combination or juxtaposition of opposites40
7805740809onomatopoeiathe use of words whose very sound suggests their actual meaning "buzz", "honk", "hiss"41
7805740810parablea story designed to suggest a principle42
7805740811parallel structurea similar grammatical structure within a paragraph43
7805740812paradoxa statement that seems to be self-contradictory but is true44
7805740813parodya composition that imitates the style of another composition, normally done for comic effect45
7805740814periodic sentencea sentence that becomes grammatically complete only at end46
7805740815personificationa figurative use of language that endows the nonhuman (ideas, inanimate objects, animals, abstractions)47
7805740816point of viewany of several possible vantage points from which the story is told48
7805740817rhetorical techniquesthe devices used in effective or persuasive language49
7805740818reliabilitya quality of some fictional narrators in whose word the reader can place his trust50
7805740819resources of languagea general phrase for the linguistic devices or techniques that a writer can use51
7805740820satirewriting that uses ridicule to arouse a reader's disapproval of the subject52
7805740821settingthe background of a story, the physical location of a story, play, or novel53
7805740822strategythe management of language for a specific effect54
7805740823stylethe mode of expression in language55
7805740824structurethe arrangement of materials within a work; the relationship of the parts of the work as a whole; the logical divisions of a work56
7805740825syntaxthe structure of a sentence57
7805740826soliloquya speech in which a character who is alone speaks his or her thoughts aloud58
7805740827syllogisma form of reasoning in which two statements are made and a conclusion is drawn from them59
7805740828sonneta poem written in iambic pentameter, normally composed of 14 lines60
7805740829stereotypea conventional pattern, expression, character, or idea61
7805740830symbolsomething that is simultaneously itself and also a sign of something else62
7805740831thesisthe theme, meaning, or position that a writer endeavors to prove support63
7805740832themethe main thought expressed by a work64
7805740833tonethe manner in which the author expresses his or her attitude65
7805755321gustatorysensory word for taste66

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!