AP Language and Composition
Vocabulary List 1 – Pd.5
1. glean
[gleen]
–verb
1. to gather slowly and laboriously, bit by bit.
2. to gather (grain or the like) after the reapers or regular gatherers.
3. to learn, discover, or find out, usually little by little or slowly.
[Origin: 1350–1400; ME
2. e·phem·er·al [i-fem-er-uh l]
–adjective
1. lasting a very short time; short-lived; transitory: the ephemeral joys of childhood.
2. lasting but one day: an ephemeral flower.
–noun
3. anything short-lived, as certain insects.
[Origin: 1570–80; < Gk
3. pro·di·gious [pruh-dij-uh s]
–adjective
1. extraordinary in size, amount, extent, degree, force, etc.: a prodigious research grant.
2. wonderful or marvelous: a prodigious feat.
3. abnormal; monstrous.
[Origin: 1545–55; < L
4. bourgeoisie (bŏŏr'zhwä-zē')
-noun
1. The middle class.
2. In Marxist theory, the social group opposed to the proletariat in the class struggle.
Origin: French
5. Buxom
[buhk-suh m]
–adjective
1.
(of a woman) full-bosomed.
2. (of a woman) healthy, plump, cheerful, and lively.
Origin: 1125–75; ME,
6.
ambiguity
am-bi-gyoo-i-tee]
noun,
1.doubtfulness or uncertainty of meaning or intention:
to speak with ambiguity; an ambiguity of manner.
2. an unclear, indefinite, or equivocal word, expression, meaning, etc.:
a contract free of ambiguities; the ambiguities of modern poetry.
Origin: 1375-1425; late Middle English
7. denunciation [di-nuhn-see-ey-shuh n, -shee-]
–noun
1.
an act or instance of denouncing; public censure or condemnation.
2.
an accusation of crime before a public prosecutor or tribunal.
3.
notice of the termination or the renouncement of an international agreement or part
thereof.
Origin: 1540–50; < L
8. provincial [pruh-vin-shuh l]
–adjective
1. belonging or peculiar to some particular province; local: the provincial newspaper.
2. having or showing the manners, viewpoints, etc., considered characteristic of
unsophisticated inhabitants of a province; rustic; narrow or illiberal; parochial: a
provincial point of view.
Origin: 1300–50; ME
9.
parsimonious pahr-suh-moh-nee-uh s]
adjective
characterized by or showing parsimony; frugal or stingy.
Origin: 1590-1600;
10.baronet
–noun
[bar-uh-nit, bar-uh-net]
a member of a British hereditary order of honor, ranking below the barons and made up
of commoners, designated by Sir before the name and Baronet, usually abbreviated
Bart., after: Sir John Smith, Bart.
Origin: 1350–1400; ME