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AP Literature Vocabulary Flashcards

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9042757209bellicose (adj)loud, argumentative, prone to fighting0
9042757210austere (adj)severe, stern, or cold in disposition or appearance1
9042757211austerity (n)a stern and serious quality2
9042757212choleric (adj)having or showing a quick/ hot temper or a cantankerous nature; easily angered3
9042757213ambivalent (adj)having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone; inconclusive or wavering4
9042757214ambivalence (n)the state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone5
9042757215charlatan (n)a person who pretends or claims to have more knowledge or skill than he or she possesses; a fraud6
9042757216enigma (n)a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand7
9042757217enigmatic (adj)difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious; perplexing8
9042757218languid (adj)sluggish in character or disposition; lacking force or quickness of movement; lazy or lethargic; weak or faint from illness or fatigue9
9042757219alacrity (n)brisk and cheerful readiness; promptness in response; eagerness; willingness10
9042757220prevaricator (n)one who deviates from the truth11
9042757221prevaricate (v)to speak or act in an evasive way; dodge or sidestep (the issue)12
9042757222ephemeral (adj)lasting for a very short time; momentary; brief, transient, temporary13
9042757223bemuse (v)puzzle, confuse, or bewilder (someone); perplexed; mystified14
9042757224bemusement (n)the fact or condition of being bemused; puzzlement15
9042757225disparaging (adj)expressing the opinion that something is of little worth; derogatory16
9042757226disparage (v)regard or represent as being of little worth; ridicule; trivialize, badmouth17
9042757227diabolic / diabolical (adj)showing the cunning or ingenuity or wickedness typical of a devil; expressive of cruelty or befitting hell18
9042757228supercilious (adj)behaving or looking as though one is superior to others; pompous; haughty and arrogant19
9042757229aristocratic (adj)of, belonging to, or typical of the aristocracy (noble, titles, elite/upper-class)20
9042757230ethereal (adj)extremely delicate and light in a way that seems to perfect for this world; unearthly; fragile21
9042757231erroneous (adj)wrong; incorrect; mistaken; faulty, flawed, or fallacious22
9042757232arbitrary (adj)subject to individual will or judgment without restriction; based on random choice or personal whim rather than any reason or system; contingent solely upon ones discretion23
9042757233contrite (adj)feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt; regretful; apologetic24
9042757234malevolent (adj)having or showing a wish to do evil to others; malicious; malignant; rancorous; vindictive25
9042757235malevolence (n)the state or condition of being malevolent26
9042757236benevolent (adj)having the disposition to do good; well-meaning and kindly; compassionate; altruistic; big-hearted; generous27
9042757237benevolence (n)the quality of being well meaning; kindness; goodwill; altruism; compassion; generosity28
9042792458prosaic (adj)having the style or diction of prose; lacking poetic beauty; insipid (lacking flavor), banal, and ordinary; unemotional and unpoetic29
9042801221laudable (adj)(of an action, idea, or goal) deserving praise and commendation; meritorious; estimable; commendable30
9042820825syllogism (literary definition)a deductive scheme of a formal argument consisting of a major and a minor premise and a conclusion31
9042828841syllogistic (adj)subtle and crafty in argument; deductive in reasoning32
9042831631incredulous (adj)(of a person or his manner) unwilling or unable to believe something; skeptical; dubious33
9042838002credulous (adj)willing to believe or trust too readily, especially without proper or adequate evidence; gullible; naive34
9042847950ubiquitous (adj)present, appearing, or found everywhere; omnipresent; prevalent35
9042855022serene (adj)calm, peaceful, and untroubled; tranquil36
9042860750serenity (noun)the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled37
9042872075teeming (v)to be full of or swarming with; to be abound in; to be alive with; to be overrun by38
9042880002drollery (n)the act or an instance of jesting or burlesquing; whimsical humor39
9042884813droll (adj)curious or unusual in a way that provokes dry amusement; jocular and humorous40
9042888227quixotic (adj)exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical; of, characterized by, or suggestive of an idealized view of reality41
9042901867disingenuous (adj)lacking in frankness, candor, or sincerity; falsely or hypocritically ingenuous; insincere; dishonest; duplicitous and deceitful42
9042917122obsequious (adj)obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree; servile; fawning; submissive43
9042925062sycophantic (adj)behaving or done in an obsequious way in order to gain advantage; subservient; groveling (sycophant is the noun form)44
9042938255morose (adj)sullen and ill-tempered; sulky; gloomy; glum, melancholy, and doleful45
9042945794erudite (adj)having or showing great knowledge or learning; intellectual, scholarly, educated46
9042955198sanguine / sanguineous (adj)cheerfully optimistic, confident, or hopeful, especially in a bad or difficult situation47
9042967823sardonic (adj)grimly mocking or cynical; scornfully and bitterly sarcastic or disdainfully humorous48
9042972899loathe (v)to feel intense dislike or disgust for; to hate or detest49
9042976494circumvent (v)to find a way around (an obstacle; to avoid or bypass (defeat, failure, unpleasantness, etc.) by artfulness or deception; avoid by anticipating or outwitting50
9042990550clandestine (adj)kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit (forbidden); private or surreptitous51
9043008851surreptitous (adj)kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of52
9043012081dogmatic (adj)asserting opinions in a doctrinaire or arrogant manner; opinionated; inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertible true; uncompromising; peremptory and overbearing53
9043049305gratuitous (adj)uncalled for; lacking good reason; unwarranted, senseless, unreasonable, or unjustified54
9043053156gregarious (adj)fond of company; sociable; affable and warm55
9043061749capricious (adj)given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior; fickle; mercurial; unpredictable and inconsistent56

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