Schwartz 1

Maxwell Schwartz
Mr. Herrera
PD 6

Personal Glossary of AP Terms

1. Allegory: A story that has a deeper meaning to it, like a moral or a life lesson. The tortoise and the
hare.
2. Alliteration: When you repeat the same letter or sound at the beginning of each word for a
sentence. Peter picked pears at Pats place.
3. Allusion: A phrase that references or hints to something else without saying it directly. Dont act
like a Romeo in front of her (http://literarydevices.net/)
4. Anadiplosis: When you use the last word of a sentence as the first word in the next sentence.
Noust in the grass / grass in the wind / wind on the lark / lark for the sun /Sun through the sea /
sea in the heart / heart in its noust / nothing is lost (Glenday)
5. Analogy: A comparison of two things using like or as. I feel like a million bucks.
6. Anaphora: When you repeat the first part of a sentence to give off a certain effect. I am gracious
to those who love me. I am gracious that I have a roof to live under. I am gracious for the food
that I eat.
7. Antimetabole: When you reverse the first part of a sentence. "Failing to prepare is preparing to
fail." John Wooden
8. Antithesis: A person who is the opposite of someone else. Money is the root of all evils: poverty
is the fruit of all goodness. (http://literarydevices.net/)
9. Archetype: A general or common example of that subject. A dumb blond, a short nerd with
glasses.
10. Assonance: when two or more words have the same vowel sound but different consonants.
Johnny went here and there and everywhere. (http://literarydevices.net/)
11. Asyndeton: When you dont put the conjunction between two parts of a sentence. This is the
villain among you who deceived you, who cheated you, who meant to betray you
completely. (Aristotle)
12. Chiasmus: When you reverse the first part of a clause to balance each other. Never let a Fool
Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You. (http://literarydevices.net/)
13. Clich: A phrase or action that in overused and unoriginal. Time heals all wounds.
14. Colloquialism: A word only used in conversations with people that you know well, not used in
formal papers or speeches. Hey bruv, what you got there. Ah nothin much mate.
15. Connotation: A feeling that a word gives off. Dove = peace
16. Denotation: The primary meaning of a word and not the feelings that come with it. And on a day
we meet to walk the line/and set the wall between us once again. We keep the wall between us as
we go. To each the boulders that have fallen to each. (http://literarydevices.net/)
17. Diction: How someone expresses and organizes words. How you speak with friends and with
teachers.
18. Epistrophe: The repetition of a word at the end of a sentence. Where now? Who now? When
now? (http://literarydevices.net/)
19. Epithet: When you describe something that makes is seem better than it actually is. The clouds

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are crying cold tears of pain.
20. Epizeuxis: When you repeat the same word over and over again. "O horror, horror, horror."
Macbeth
21. Ethos: When you try to convince someone by the creditability of the speaker. When Tiger Woods
sells golf balls.
22. Euphemism: when you replace a harsh word with something milder. Tim is a special child.
23. Flashback: When someone thinks back to the past. When I was a boy I used to be super fat, like a
pillow.
24. Hyperbole: When you exaggerate a statement. I ate one million cacti.
25. Idiom: A phrase that doesnt mean what the actually words say. Sick as a dog.
26. Imagery: Words that appeal to the five senses. The wind smelled of freshly fallen snow.
27. Irony: When you say something but you actually mean the opposite of what you mean. That TV
on the radio sounded really cheap, it was only 20 easy payments of $19.99
28. Jargon: Words only used in a specific group of people that others wont understand. LOL, JK.
29. Juxtaposition: When two things are placed close together that are different so that they contrast.
Mr. dull was sulking next to Mrs. Sun.
30. Logos: Using a logical appeal to persuade people. If you buy our bug spray then you have less of
a chance of getting Malaria.
31. Metaphor: When you compare two things that are unrelated as to show the similarities of each.
ITS RAINING MEN,
32. Metonymy: When you replace the actual name of something with something that it is used for.
Let me give you a hand.
33. Onomatopoeia: When you spell out a sound of something. Bang! Beep! Beep!
34. Oxymoron: When a sentence contradicts itself by containing two things that dont go together.
Jumbo Shrimp.
35. Paradox: A statement that never gets anywhere and seems to go in a loop. Pinocchio saying that
his nose will grow.
36. Parallel structure: When you use the same word pattern to show that ideas have the same amount
of importance.
Mary likes to hike, to swim, and to ride a bicycle.
HALLELUJAH ITS RAINING MEN, AMEN!

OR
Mary likes to hike, swim, and ride a bicycle. (Driscoll)
37. Parody: When you imitate a work for comedy. Weird Al Yankovic Foil (Yankovic)
38. Pathos: When you try to convince someone with emotions. He grabbed me and then slammed me
on the ground and it bruised my arm which hurt a lot.
39. Persona: A role that a person takes on for that specific time. When a political tries to get voters
that are in the middle class and they talk about how they were raised by a middle class family.
40. Personification: When something that isnt human gets human qualities. The wind howled at the
trees.
41. Point of view: From what position you are seeing the story in. First person, Second person, Third
person.
42. Polysyndeton: If you use the same conjunction over and over again. After my mom found out that
I got an F on math she took my TV, and my phone, and my computer, and my car, and my
collection of vintage 1775 American Revolution felt tip pins.
43. Pseudonym: A nickname that an author will use when he writes books. Dr. Seuss
44. Rhetoric: When you talk or write to people in a way that is meant to persuade them in some sort.
If you just spend five extra dollars on this cat scientist from NASA have proven that it will

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increase the life of your cat by 5 years.
45. Rhetorical question: When you state a question that you dont actually want answered. Jim, where
is my llama. Who knows?
46. Sarcasm: When you say something rude and/or witty about something to be cynical. Wow Jeff, it
sure is just a grand day out isnt it. Ya, suuuure it is.
47. Satire: When you use comedy to criticize someones work. Saturday Night Live.
48. Simile: Comparing two things with like or as. I was as fat as a whale.
49. Slang: Words considered to be informal that are used with specific groups of people. What up
dog.
50. Stereotype: A generalization of a group of people that is only true for a small minority. Asians
cant drive, Black people cant swim, and White people cant jump.
51. Synecdoche: When a small part of something is used to represent a whole. A reel can mean an old
film.
52. Syntax: How a person organizes the words that they use. Saying I hunger for the food instead of I
want some food.
53. Tone: The feeling that is given off by a word, phrase, or passage. As I slid the key into the lock I
heard the house groan in anticipation for my arrival. This gives off a feeling of suspense.
54. Understatement: A statement that is much calmer than the actual situation. When both your arms
have been cut off and you say Its just a flesh wound!

Works Cited
Aristotle. "Rhetoric." n.d. Book.
Driscoll, Dana Lynn. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/623/01/. 22 03
2013. Website. 21 10 2015.
Glenday, John. "Noust." n.d.
http://literarydevices.net/. 06 July 2013. Website. 20 October 2015.
Yankovic, Weird Al. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urglg3WimHA. 30 July 2014.