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

AP Literature Summer Vocabulary Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
4693999143Plaintive(adj.) expressive of sorrow or woe, melancholy0
4693999619Portend/Portentous(v.) to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of1
4693999620Semblance(n.) a likeness; an outward appearance; an apparition2
4693999621Penury(n.) extreme poverty; barrenness, insufficiency3
4693999791Desolate(adj.) deserted, dreary, lifeless (She found the desolate landscape quite a contrast to the hustle and bustle of the overcrowded city.)4
4693999792AsceticN. ONE WHO PRACTICES SELF-DENIAL, ADJ. SELF-DENYING OR AUSTERE5
4693999793Sullen(adj) silent or brooding because of ill humor, anger, or resentment; slow moving, sluggish.6
4693999998Peremptory(adj.) having the nature of a command that leaves no opportunity for debate, denial, or refusal; offensively self-assured, dictatorial; determined, resolute7
4693999999Soporific(adj.) tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy; (n.) something that induces sleep8
4694000084Ludicrous(adj.) ridiculous, laughable, absurd9
4694000085Facade(n.) the front or face of a building; a surface appearance (as opposed to what may lie behind)10
4694000186Approbation(n.) the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval11
4694000187Interminable(adj.) without possibility of end (The fact that biology lectures came just before lunch made them seem interminable.)12
4694000300Calumny(n.) an attempt to spoil someone else's reputation by spreading lies (The local official's calumny ended up ruining his opponent's prospect of winning the election.)13
4694000301Acquiesce(v.) to accept without protest; to agree or submit14
4694000467Propitious(adj.) favorable15
4694000468Venerate(v.) to regard with reverence, look up to with great respect16
4694000469Phlegmatic(adj.) slow-moving, sluggish; unemotional17
4694000549Enigma(n) puzzle, mystery, riddle; mysterious or contradictory person18
4694000550Deprecate(v.) to express mild disapproval; to belittle19
4694000551Noxious(adj.) harmful, unwholesome20
4694000639Assiduous(adj.) persistent, attentive, diligent21
4694000640Solicitous(adj.) showing concern or care; fearful or anxious about someone or something22
4694000912Fastidious(adj.) meticulous, demanding, having high and often unattainable standards23
4694000913Insipid(adj.) dull, boring24
4694001010AsceticN. ONE WHO PRACTICES SELF-DENIAL, ADJ. SELF-DENYING OR AUSTERE25
4694001011Enervate(v) weaken, tire26
4694001103Trepidation/Intrepid(n.) fear, fright, trembling27
4694001104Evince(v.) to show, reveal28
4694001319Indefatigable(adj.) incapable of defeat, failure, decay29
4694001320Insuperable(adj.) incapable of being overcome30
4694001629EngenderTO CAUSE; PRODUCE31
4694001875CapriciousADJ. FICKLE, N. INCLINATION TO CHANGE ONE'S MIND COMPULSIVELY32
4694002139Countenance(n, v) facial expression or face (noun); approve or tolerate (verb)33
4694002140Conjecture(n.) the expression of or formulation of a theory without sufficient evidence or proof; (v.) to guess or formulate a theory without sufficient evidence or proof34
4694002552Inexorable(adj.) inflexible, beyond influence; relentless, unyielding35
4694002837Sardonic(adj.) grimly or scornfully mocking, bitterly sarcastic36
4694002838Impetuous(adj) acting or done quickly and without thought or care37
4694002839Equivocal(adj.) ambiguous, uncertain, undecided38
4694002920Transitory(adj) temporary, short-lived, not lasting39
4694002921Ephemeral(adj) lasting only a short time, fleeting40
4694002923Obscure(adj.) unclear, partially hidden41
4694003199Prodigal(adj.) wastefully extravagant; lavishly or generously abundant; (n.) one who is wasteful and self-indulgent42
4694003200Discern(v.) to see clearly, recognize43
4694003201Profligate(adj.) given over to dissipation and self-indulgence, immoral; recklessly extravagant; (n.) a person given to self-indulgent and wild spending44
4694003294Languid(adj) drooping from exhaustion, sluggish, slow; lacking in spirit45
4694003295Sententious(adj.) self-righteous, characterized by moralizing; given to use of maxims or adages; saying much in few words, pithy46
4694003475Disposition(n) a person's general or natural mood; tendency47
4694003596Apoplexy(N) a stroke resulting from loss of blood to the brain; a hemorrhage in an organ cavity or tissue which may cause marked loss of bodily function.48
4694003696Sanguine(adj) cheerfully optimistic, hopeful49

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!