abridged
[adjective]
(a book, play, text, etc.) made shorter than the original by omitting some details
Advanced Vocabulary for TOEFL - Literature and Writing
Here you will learn some English words about literature and writing, such as "lurid", "epic", "psalm", etc. that are needed for the TOEFL exam.
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allegorical
[adjective]
(of a story, play, image, etc.) using characters or events in a symbolic sense that represent a concept, quality, etc.
lurid
[adjective]
shocking or sensational, especially in a gruesome or vulgar way
Ex:
The
lurid
affair
between
the
married
CEO
and
his
secretary
scandalized
the
company
,
resulting in
a
messy
divorce
and
a
tarnished
corporate
image
due to
blatant
disregard
for
moral
values
.
turgid
[adjective]
(of speech or writing) using a serious and elevated style that makes it tedious and complicated
Ex:
The
novel
's
turgid
narrative
style
made it
a
challenging
read
for
most
people
.
acrostic
[noun]
a poem or other piece of writing in which certain letters of each line, usually the initial letters, spell out a word or phrase
doggerel
[noun]
humorous and poorly written poetry
Ex:
The
poet
has
been
crafting
beautiful
verses
lately
,
leaving
his
earlier
doggerel
behind
.
elegy
[noun]
a song or poem expressing sadness, especially in the memory of a dead person or a bitter event in the past
Ex:
In
literature
,
an
elegy
is
a
poetic
form
that
expresses
sorrow
and
lamentation
,
often
commemorating
the
dead
or
reflecting on
the
transient
nature
of
life
.
epic
[noun]
a long poem in narrative form giving an account of the extraordinary deeds and adventures of a nation's heroes or legends
Ex:
The
film
adaptation
captured
the
grandeur
of
the
medieval
epic
.
haiku
[noun]
a Japanese poem with three unrhymed lines that have five, seven and five syllables each
Ex:
Students
learned
to
compose
a
haiku
during
their
literature
class
.
lament
[noun]
a song, musical piece, poem, etc. that expresses the feeling of sorrow and sadness after a loss or death
Ex:
The
folk song
was
a
traditional
lament
for
soldiers
who
had
fallen in
battle
.
lampoon
[noun]
a drawing, speech, or text aiming to criticize something or someone in a humorous manner
Ex:
The
book
's
lampoon
of
celebrity
culture
offered
a
humorous
critique
of
fame
and
media
obsession
.
ode
[noun]
a lyric poem, written in varied or irregular metrical form, for a particular object, person, or concept
Ex:
The
classical
musician
performed
a
musical
rendition
of
the
famous
ode
.
parody
[noun]
a piece of writing, music, etc. that imitates the style of someone else in a humorous way
Ex:
The
film
was
a
parody
of
superhero
movies
,
poking
fun
at
the
genre
's
clichés
and
over-the-top
action
scenes
.
psalm
[noun]
any holy poem, song, or hymn, especially the ones in the Book of Psalms, used in Christian and Jewish worship
sonnet
[noun]
a verse of Italian origin that has 14 lines, usually in an iambic pentameter and a prescribed rhyme scheme
Ex:
The
poet
recited
a
classic
sonnet
by
Shakespeare
during
the
literary
evening
.
bard
[noun]
a person who writes pieces of poetry and stories
Ex:
Legends
say
that
the
bard
's
songs
had
the
power
to
bring
joy
and
inspiration
to
all
who
listened
.
stanza
[noun]
a series of lines in a poem, usually with recurring rhyme scheme and meter
Ex:
She
analyzed
the
stanza
to
understand
its
symbolic
meaning
.
canto
[noun]
any of the sections into which a long poem is divided
Ex:
In
his
latest
book
,
the
author
divided
the
narrative
into
ten
cantos
,
each
exploring
a
different
theme
.
conceit
[noun]
an elaborate or far-fetched poetic image or comparison between very dissimilar things, used in literature
Ex:
She
wrote
a
conceit
comparing
the
mind
to
a
labyrinth
.
enjambement
[noun]
the continuation of a line of poetry into another couplet or stanza without a break
rhetoric
[noun]
bombastic or meaningless language
Ex:
The
article
was
more
rhetoric
than
reporting
.
addendum
[noun]
a section of additional material that is usually added at the end of a book
Ex:
The
addendum
corrected
a
minor
error
found
in the main
text
of
the
book
.
antagonist
[noun]
villainous character who strongly opposes another person or thing
Ex:
The
antagonist
's
motivations
were
complex
,
driven
by
a
deep-seated
desire
for
power
and
revenge
against
the
protagonist
.
appendix
[noun]
a separate part at the end of a book that gives further information
Ex:
Students
were
instructed
to
refer to
the
appendix
for
additional
resources
and
data
related to
their
coursework
.
blurb
[noun]
a short promotional description of a book, motion picture, etc. published on the cover of a book or in an advertisement
Ex:
Authors
often
collaborate
with
publishers
to
craft
compelling
blurbs
that
capture
the
essence
of
their
books
and
appeal
to
potential
readers
.
glossary
[noun]
a list of technical terms or jargons of a particular field or text, provided in alphabetical order with an explanation for each one
Ex:
The
glossary
is
an
essential
tool
for
students
learning
a
new
language
,
helping
them
memorize
vocabulary
.
canon
[noun]
generally accepted rules or principles, especially those that are considered as fundamental in a field of art or philosophy
Ex:
The
scientific method
is
a
fundamental
part
of
the
canon
of
modern
science
,
providing
a
framework
for
conducting
experiments
and
analyzing
data
.
motif
[noun]
a subject, idea, or phrase that is repeatedly used in a literary work
Ex:
Through
the
motif
of
the
"
fall
from
grace
,
"
the
author
explores
the
consequences
of
hubris
and
the
fragility
of
human
ambition
.
codex
[noun]
an ancient book, written by hand, especially of scriptures, classics, etc.
Ex:
The
codex
was
carefully
preserved
in
a
climate-controlled
vault
to
prevent
further
deterioration
of
its
delicate
parchment
pages
.
magnum opus
[noun]
the greatest literary or artistic piece that an author or artist has created
Ex:
The
filmmaker
's
latest
movie
has
been
hailed
as
his
magnum opus
,
combining
stunning
visuals
and
a
compelling
narrative
to
create
a
cinematic
masterpiece
.
novella
[noun]
a work of fiction with an intermediate length, which could be considered a short novel
Ex:
He
spent
months
writing
a
novella
to
capture
the
essence
of
his
complex
plot
.
plot hole
[noun]
an apparent mistake or inconsistency in the narrative of a book, motion picture, etc.
prolixity
[noun]
the fact of having an excessive number of words that results in being tedious
Ex:
The
lawyer
's
closing
argument
suffered
from
prolixity
,
causing
the
jury
to
lose
focus
as
he
elaborated
on
every
minor
point
in
exhaustive
detail
.
epilogue
[noun]
a brief section added at the end of a literary work, providing closure, commentary, or resolution
Ex:
The
epilogue
tied up
loose
plot
threads
left
in the main
story
.