AP Vocabulary Flashcards
A character in a story or poem who deceives, frustrates, or works against the main character, or protagonist, in some way. The antagonist doesn’t necessarily have to be a person. It could death, the devil, an illness, or any challenge that prevents the main character from living “happily ever after”
Antagonist
A character who serves as a contrast or a conflict to another character
Foil
A character whose actions are inspiring or noble; often the main character in a story
Hero/heroine
A device used to produce figurative language
Figure of speech
A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art
Allusion
A figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa, as in Cleveland won by six runs (meaning “Cleveland’s baseball team”)
Synecdoche
A figure of speech in which the author presents or describes
concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions.
Personification
A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love
Apostrophe
A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement
Hyperbole
A note of explanation or comment added to a text or diagram.
Annotation
A pause or a sudden break in a line of poetry
Caesura
A picture or imitation of a person’s habits, physical appearance or mannerisms exaggerated in a comic or absurd way
Caricature
A proverb or short statement expressing a general truth.
Adage
A sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end
Periodic Sentences
A short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.
Anecdote
A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them
Analogy
A terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or moral principle
Aphorism
A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.
Parody
A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and
conventions for reform or ridicule.
Satire
All of the techniques that writers use to create characters
Characterization
Device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning
Allegory
An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly
scholarly, academic, or bookish.
Pedantic
An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language
Invective
An evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction,
syntax, figurative language, and other literary devices; or classification of authors
to a group and comparison of an author to similar authors.
Style
An idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning.
Connotation
Another type of subject complement, a noun, group of
nouns, or noun clause that renames the subject.
Predicate Nominative
Events turn out the opposite of what was expected
Situational Irony
Facts or events are unknown to a character but known to the reader or audience or other characters in work
Dramatic Irony
From the Greek “changed label”, the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it (e.g. “the White House” for the President)
Metonymy
From the Greek for “orator,” the principles governing the art of writing
effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.
Rhetoric
From the Greek for “to tear flesh,” involves bitter, caustic language that
is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.
Sarcasm
Genre including fiction, nonfiction, written in ordinary language.
Prose
Literally “sermon”, or any serious talk, speech, or lecture providing moral or spiritual advice
Homily
One type of subject complement, an adjective, group of
adjectives, or adjective clause that follows a linking verb.
Predicate Adjective
Refers to traditions for each genre
Generic conventions
The branch of linguistics which studies the meaning of words, their
historical and psychological development (etymology), their connotations, and
their relation to one another.
Semantics
The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant
Irony
The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language
Repetition
The emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting
Atmosphere
The major category into which a literary work fits (e.g. prose, poetry, and drama)
Genre
The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage
Ambiguity
The perspective from which a story is told (first person, third person omniscient, or third person limited omniscient).
Point of View
The recurrence of similar sounds, especially consonants, in close proximity (chiefly as used in prosody).
Consonance
The repetition of sounds, especially consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (e.g. “she sells sea shells”)
Alliteration
The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions
Imagery
The variety, conventions, and purposes of the major kinds of
writing (exposition explains and analyzes information; argumentation proves validity of an idea; description re-creates, invents, or presents a person, place, event or action; narration tells a story or recount an event).
Rhetorical Modes
The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun
Antecedent
To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented
Infer (inference)
Two events or ideas are related as cause and effect when one event brings about or causes the other
Cause and effect
Words literally state the opposite if the speaker’s true meaning
Verbal Irony
A word or phrase that is not formal or literary, typically one used in ordinary or familiar conversation.
Colloquialisms
The action of mentioning a number of things one by one.
Enumeration
The presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is.
Understatement
The repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences.
Epistrophe
Something or someone that one vehemently dislikes.
(or excommunicating)
Anathema
A statement that is taken to be true, to serve as a premise or starting point for further reasoning and arguments. The word comes from the Ancient Greek word axíōma, meaning ‘that which is thought worthy or fit’ or ‘that which commends itself as evident’.
Axiom
A tension or clash resulting from the combination of two disharmonious or unsuitable elements.
Dissonance
(Especially of fabric) light, delicate, and translucent.
Diaphanous
Inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true.
Dogmatic
Selecting from various sources, styles
Electic
The process of analyzing a literary work in order to reveal its meaning. (analyzing in detail)
Explication
Departing from a literal use of words; metaphorical.
Figurative
A person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions.
Iconoclast
The fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.
Juxtaposition
Taking words in their usual or most basic sense without metaphor or allegory.
Literal
A person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society. Strong hater.
Misanthrope
Stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or course of action.
Obdurate
A particular attitude or way of considering a matter or how a story is seen or told.
Point of View
The recurrence of an action or event. (repeating)
Repetition
Courteous and refined in manner (typically used of a man).
Urbane
Solicitous
Spectral
A reference to something that didn’t exist within the time period it is set in.
Anachronism
Maudlin
Vehement
Tarry
