Avatar of Vocabulary Set Literature and Culture

Literature and Culture Vocabulary Set in SAT Humanities: Full and Detailed List

The 'Literature and Culture' vocabulary set in 'SAT Humanities' is carefully selected from standard international textbook sources, helping you master vocabulary in a short time. Comprehensive compilation of definitions, illustrative examples, and standard pronunciation...

Learn this vocabulary set on Lingoland

Learn Now

prose

/proʊz/

Example:

She writes beautiful prose.

free verse

/friː vɜːrs/

Example:

Walt Whitman is famous for his use of free verse in 'Leaves of Grass'.

stanza

/ˈstæn.zə/

Example:

The poem consists of four stanzas, each with a distinct rhyme scheme.

sonnet

/ˈsɑː.nɪt/

Example:

Shakespeare wrote many famous sonnets.

ballad

/ˈbæl.əd/

Example:

The folk singer performed a traditional ballad about a lost love.

protagonist

/prəˈtæɡ.ən.ɪst/

Example:

The young wizard is the protagonist of the fantasy series.

heroine

/ˈher.oʊ.ɪn/

Example:

She was hailed as a national heroine for her bravery.

allegory

/ˈæl.ə.ɡɔːr.i/

Example:

George Orwell's 'Animal Farm' is a famous allegory for the Russian Revolution.

personification

/pɚˌsɑː.nə.fəˈkeɪ.ʃən/

Example:

The wind whispered through the trees, a beautiful example of personification.

allusion

/əˈluː.ʒən/

Example:

The poem contains an allusion to Greek mythology.

pun

/pʌn/

Example:

He made a clever pun about the baker, saying he kneaded the dough.

metaphor

/ˈmet̬.ə.fɔːr/

Example:

The phrase 'drowning in debt' is a common metaphor.

simile

/ˈsɪm.ə.li/

Example:

The poet used a simile to describe the clouds as 'like cotton balls floating in the sky'.

irony

/ˈaɪ.rə.ni/

Example:

The irony of the situation was that the fire station burned down.

tone

/toʊn/

Example:

The singer's voice had a beautiful, clear tone.

canon

/ˈkæn.ən/

Example:

The decision was made according to the established canon of the organization.

marginalia

/ˌmɑːr.dʒɪˈneɪ.li.ə/

Example:

The scholar spent years studying the marginalia in the medieval manuscript.

memoir

/ˈmem.wɑːr/

Example:

She published a memoir of her time as a war correspondent.

autobiography

/ˌɑː.t̬ə.baɪˈɑː.ɡrə.fi/

Example:

She decided to write her autobiography after retiring from her long career.

graphic novel

/ˈɡræf.ɪk ˌnɑːv.əl/

Example:

She spent the afternoon reading a new graphic novel.

dime novel

/daɪm ˈnɑː.vəl/

Example:

In the late 19th century, many young people enjoyed reading a dime novel about the Wild West.

backstory

/ˈbækˌstɔːr.i/

Example:

The author developed a detailed backstory for each character in the novel.

anthology

/ænˈθɑː.lə.dʒi/

Example:

The professor assigned a new anthology of modern poetry.

ghostwriter

/ˈɡoʊstˌraɪ.t̬ɚ/

Example:

Many celebrities hire a ghostwriter for their autobiographies.

manuscript

/ˈmæn.jə.skrɪpt/

Example:

The ancient manuscript was carefully preserved in the museum.

scroll

/skroʊl/

Example:

The ancient text was preserved on a delicate scroll.

burlesque

/bɝːˈlesk/

Example:

The play was a burlesque of Shakespearean tragedy.

satirical

/səˈtɪr.ɪ.kəl/

Example:

The magazine is known for its satirical look at current events.

melodramatic

/ˌmel.ə.drəˈmæt̬.ɪk/

Example:

Her reaction to the spilled milk was a bit melodramatic.

excerpt

/ˈek.sɝːpt/

Example:

She read an excerpt from her new novel.

fictionalize

/ˈfɪk.ʃən.əl.aɪz/

Example:

The author decided to fictionalize the events of the war to protect the identities of those involved.

glyph

/ɡlɪf/

Example:

The ancient Mayan ruins were covered with intricate glyphs.

interjection

/ˌɪn.t̬ɚˈdʒek.ʃən/

Example:

Ouch!” he cried, after hitting his thumb with a hammer.

syntax

/ˈsɪn.tæks/

Example:

The grammar checker identified an error in the sentence syntax.

dialect

/ˈdaɪ.ə.lekt/

Example:

The local dialect is quite different from the standard language.

intonation

/ˌɪn.təˈneɪ.ʃən/

Example:

Her voice had a peculiar intonation that made her sound foreign.

acronym

/ˈæk.rə.nɪm/

initialism

/ɪˈnɪʃ.ə.lɪz.əm/

Example:

FBI is an initialism for Federal Bureau of Investigation.

etymology

/ˌet̬.ɪˈmɑː.lə.dʒi/

Example:

The etymology of the word 'hello' is quite interesting.

linguist

/ˈlɪŋ.ɡwɪst/

Example:

The linguist analyzed the ancient text.

mythology

/mɪˈθɑː.lə.dʒi/

Example:

Greek mythology is rich with gods, goddesses, and heroes.

chimera

/kaɪˈmer.ə, kaɪˈmɪr.ə/

Example:

The ancient Greek myth tells of a hero who defeated the fearsome chimera.

basilisk

/ˈbæz.ə.lɪsk/

Example:

In the story, the hero must avoid the basilisk's deadly stare.

folklore

/ˈfoʊk.lɔːr/

Example:

The island is rich in local folklore and ancient legends.

custom

/ˈkʌs.təm/

Example:

It is a local custom to greet visitors with a cup of tea.

lore

/lɔːr/

Example:

The ancient lore of the forest spoke of mythical creatures.

elegy

/ˈel.ə.dʒi/

Example:

He wrote an elegy for his deceased friend.

heritage

/ˈher.ɪ.t̬ɪdʒ/

Example:

The old house was part of her family's heritage.

subculture

/ˈsʌbˌkʌl.tʃɚ/

Example:

The punk subculture emerged in the 1970s.

rebirth

/ˌriːˈbɝːθ/

Example:

Spring is a time of rebirth for nature.

time-honored

/ˈtaɪmˌɑnərd/

Example:

The company follows a time-honored tradition of quality craftsmanship.
Learn this vocabulary set on Lingoland