AP Lang Vocab 2

unctuous

Adjective - (of a person) excessively or ingratiatingly flattering The woman began to find the man and his excessive complements unctuous and annoying.

avant-garde

Noun - new and unusual or experimental ideas, especially in the arts Pablo Picasso was considered avant garde due to his modern and abstract portraits.

al fresco

adjective/noun done or eaten in the open air It was a little cold to eat dinner al fresco, so the family ate inside.

convocation

noun a large formal assembly of people. A convocation of world leaders takes place annually in NYC.

intrinsic

(adj.) belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent Many mothers have an intrinsic need to protect their children at all costs.

verdant

adjective (of countryside) green with grass or other rich vegetation. The farmers welcomed the spring rains after years of drought conditions in hopes of restoring their farms to a verdant level.

semper fidelis

adjective always faithful (the motto of the US Marine Corps). The US Marine corps motto of semper fidelis was reinforced every time conflict arose.

eclectic

adjective deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources. The person's taste in music was eclectic as he enjoyed hip-hop, country, rap, classical and pop.

magniloquent

adjective using high-flown or bombastic language. (bombastic) The guest speaker used magniloquent and elegant language to command respect from the renowned members in the audience.

Au courant

adjective - aware of what is going on; well informed. (Up to date) The doctor's medical practices are au courant since he goes to new trainings every few months.

Bonafide

adjective - genuine; real. (Authentic) The young artist after a few smash hits had become a bonafide star.

de jure

adverb according to rightful entitlement or claim; by right. The extensive American election process is in place to ensure that the President is the de jure winner.

aria

noun a long accompanied song for a solo voice, typically one in an opera or oratorio. The audience applauded after the performer with a beautiful soprano voice performed the aria.

pince-nez

noun a pair of eyeglasses with a nose clip instead of earpieces. His plaid suit complemented by his pince-nez frames made him look scholarly.

bête noire

noun a person or thing that one particularly dislikes The avid food critic had a bete noire towards the growing trend of pineapple on pizza.

aficionado

noun a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime. His reasoning for becoming a scientist was due to his physics aficionado.

emanation

noun an abstract but perceptible thing that issues or originates from a source. As soon as I smelled the emanation from the furnace room, I knew a leak had occurred.

burlesque

noun an absurd or comically exaggerated imitation of something, especially in a literary or dramatic work; a parody. The comedic play put on by the High School students was a burlesque of a Shakespearean tragedy.

simper

noun an affectedly coy or ingratiating smile. The boy had a simper on his face as he talked to his crush.

faux pas

noun an embarrassing or tactless act or remark in a social scene Burping in a public scene is often regarded as a faux pas.

éclat

noun brilliant display or effect. The release of the new superhero film was received with eclat.

carte blanche

noun complete freedom to act as one wishes or thinks best. The executive's impressive work history in the company granted him the right to have carte blanche when making decisions.

élan

noun energy, style, and enthusiasm (Flair) The intern completed all her tasks with elan in hopes of receiving a set position within the company.

vis-à-vis

noun in relation to; in regard to The boss's memo that week began with the usual "vis-a-vis our last meeting..."

timidity

noun lack of courage or confidence (Shyness) The boy showed timidity as he stood in front of the school to read his speech.

dotage

noun the period of life in which a person is old and weak. (elderly) In many cultures, children are expected to take care of their parents upon entering dotage.

chiaroscuro

noun the treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting. Leonardo da Vinci is known for his use of chiaroscuro, and lack of interest in color.

Acapella

noun - singing without instrumental accompaniment (unaccompanied singing) Barbershop quartets often impress people with their variety of sounds despite often singing acapella.

ranine

of or relating to frogs. Toads often are confused with frogs due to their ranine nature.

congeal

verb solidify or coagulate, especially by cooling. (Harden) She wanted to wash the frying pan before the bacon fat had a chance to congeal.