AP Literature Terms Flashcards

7419909339	Allegory	A literary work in which characters, objects, or actions represent abstractions	0
7419909340	Anaphora	the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses	1
7419909341	Aphorism	A brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life.	2
7419909342	Apostrophe	A locution that addresses a person or personified thing not present.	3
7419909343	Archetype	a very typical example of a certain person or thing	4
7419909344	Asyndeton	A construction in which elements are presented in a series without conjunctions	5
7419909345	Caesura	A natural pause or break in a line of poetry, usually near the middle of the line.	6
7419909346	Catharsis	the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.	7
7419909347	Chiasmus	a reversal in the order of words in two otherwise parallel phrases	8
7419909348	Conceit	A fanciful, particularly clever extended metaphor	9
7419909349	deus ex machina	In literature, the use of an artificial device or gimmick to solve a problem.	10
7419909350	Doppelganger	a literary archetype of a character who meets his or her apparent double, with plot developments following.	11
7419909351	Elision	the omission of an unstressed vowel or syllable to preserve the meter of a line of poetry	12
7419909352	Enjambment	In poetry, the use of successive lines with no punctuation or pause between them	13
7419909353	Epiphany	A moment of sudden revelation or insight	14
7419909354	Epistolary	A piece of literature contained in or carried on by letters	15
7419909355	Epithet	A descriptive name or phrase used to characterize someone or something	16
7419909356	Hubris	excessive pride or self-confidence	17
7419909357	Litotes	A form of understatement that involves making an affirmative point by denying its opposite	18
7419909358	Malapropism	a word humorously misused	19
7419909359	Meiosis	The use of understatement to highlight a point or explain a situation or to understate a response used to enhance the effect of a dramatic moment.	20
7419909360	Metonymy	the substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant	21
7419909361	Motif	A recurring theme, subject or idea	22
7419909362	Paradox	A statement that contradicts itself	23
7419909363	Satire	A literary style used to make fun of or ridicule an idea or human vice or weakness	24
7419909364	stream of consciousness	a style of writing that portrays the inner (often chaotic) workings of a character's mind.	25
7419909365	Symbolism	A device in literature where an object represents an idea.	26
7419909366	Synesthesia	when one kind of sensory stimulus evokes the subjective experience of another	27
7419909367	Synecdoche	using one part of an object to represent the entire object	28
7419909368	Tragic Flaw	A weakness or limitation of character, resulting in the fall of the tragic hero.	29
7419950592	pandemonium	chaos	30
7419950593	Primordial	original; existing from the beginning	31
7420048274	Swoon	faint from extreme emotion	32
7420048275	Tercet	a three-line stanza	33
7420048276	Putrid	rotten and foul smelling	34
7420048277	Allusion	A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art	35
7420048278	Forsaken	abandoned or deserted	36
7420048279	Opportunist	individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of circumstances	37
7420048280	Sodomites	generally anal or oral sex between people or sexual activity between a person and a non-human animal (bestiality), but it may also mean any non-procreative sexual activity.	38
7420048281	Omnipotence	the quality of having unlimited or very great power	39
7420048282	Tempest	A violent storm lasting for a portion of time	40
7420048283	perilous	Full of danger or risk	41
7420048284	Papacy	the office or authority of the Pope.	42
7420048285	odious	deserving hate or contempt	43
7420048286	Nimble	(adj.) quick and skillful in movement, agile; clever	44
7420048287	Manifestations	A very clear sign that a particular situation or feeling exists	45
7420048288	Depravity	moral corruption, a wicked or perverse act	46
7420048289	Didactic	Instructive	47
7420048290	Expedient	(n.) a means to an end; (adj.) advantageous, useful	48
7420048291	perspicacity	(n.) keenness in observing and understanding	49
7420048292	debauchery	excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures	50
7420048293	Dalliance	frivolous spending of time; dawdling. playful flirtation.	51
7420048294	vexation	the state of being annoyed, frustrated, or worried	52
7420048295	Sepulcher	A tomb, grave, or burial place	53
7420048296	Miscreant	a vicious person	54
7420048297	Censure	harsh criticism or disapproval	55
7420048298	fetid	foul-smelling; putrid	56
7812919526	Bombast	arrogant, pompous language	57
7812929697	Obsequious	Overly submissive and eager to please	58
7812929698	Preferment	(n) promotion or appointment to a position or office	59
7812933558	Grange	group of farmers who met for lectures, sewing bees, and other events	60
7812936539	Lascivious	lustful or lewd; inciting sexual desire	61
7812936540	Deluding	impose a misleading belief upon (someone); deceive; fool	62
7812942210	Promulgate	to announce; to make known	63
7812942211	Beguiled	charm or enchant (someone), sometimes in a deceptive way.	64
7812943739	Alacrity	brisk and cheerful readiness	65
8789385703	allusive (adj)	containing an indirect reference	66
8789385704	Poignant	(adj.) deeply affecting, touching; keen or sharp in taste or smell	67
8789385705	audacious	(adj.) bold, adventurous, recklessly daring	68
8789385706	Provocative (adj)	Causing annoyance, anger, or another strong reaction, especially deliberately	69
8789385707	Sanguine	Cheerfully optimistic	70
8789385708	Platonic	Marked by the absence of romance or physical attraction	71
8789385709	Enamor	To inspire with love; to captivate	72
8789385710	Buoyant	Capable of floating; cheerful	73
8789385711	Mock-heroic	imitating or burlesquing that which is heroic, as in manner, character, or action	74
8789385712	Diffident (adjective)	Shy, lacking self-confidence; modest, reserved	75
8789385713	Elegiac	Mourning that which is lost or past; sorrowful	76
8789385714	Lugubrious adj	Mournful	77
8789385715	Pedantic	Excessively concerned with book learning and formal rules	78
8789385716	Facetious	(adj.) humorous, not meant seriously	79
8789385717	Effusive	Overflowing with words or feelings; gushing	80
8789385718	colloquial (adj)	appropriate to spoken, as opposed to written, language; informal	81
8789385719	Sardonic (adjective)	Mocking; sneering; cynical; making fun of	82
8789385720	Insolent	Boldly rude or disrespectful	83
8789385721	Saturnine	(adj.) of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood	84
8789385722	Irascible	Easily angered	85
8789385723	Choleric	(adj.) easily made angry, bad-tempered	86
8789385724	Umbrage	Offense or annoyance	87
8789385725	Insipid	lacking interest or flavor	88
8789385726	Esoteric	(adj.) intended for or understood by only a select few, private, secret	89
8789385727	Bombastic (adj)	Pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas	90
8789385728	Provincial (adj)	limited in knowledge of the world; narrow-minded	91
8789385729	Acerbic (adj)	having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting	92
8789385730	Erudite	(adj.) scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic	93
8789385731	Laconic	using few words; brief; to the point	94