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One-word Substitution

English Comprehension · Vocabulary, Usage & Transformation

Useful for: SSC CGL, OSSC RHT — Regular High School Teacher, OSEPA Primary Teacher / JT Category-I, OSEPA Upper Primary — Arts, OSEPA Upper Primary — Science, OSSC English, OSSSC Govt Physical Education Teacher (PET), OSSSC Govt TGT Arts

and 5 more exams

OSSSC Govt TGT Science — CBZ, OSSSC Govt TGT Science — PCM, SSB Language Teachers, SSB Lecturer (Degree Colleges), SSB TGT Arts

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Overview

One-word substitution replaces a descriptive phrase with a single precise word, often built from Latin or Greek roots.

Key points

-cide = killing (homicide, pesticide); -logy = study (biology); -phobia = fear (hydrophobia).
Aviary (birds), apiary (bees), aquarium (fish), granary (grain), arsenal (weapons).
Polyglot (many languages), bilingual (two languages), illiterate (cannot read or write).
Omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (everywhere).
Autobiography (life written by oneself), biography (by another).

Explanation

Learn root families rather than single words.
Similar-sounding options often differ by one root.
Read the whole phrase: "a person who cannot be corrected" = incorrigible.
Check the part of speech required.

Step by step

Find the key idea.
Recall the root.
Pick the precise word.

Examples

A place where birds are kept → aviary.
A person who knows everything → omniscient.
Fear of water → hydrophobia.

Traps and advanced points

Trap: Mixing aviary and apiary.
Trap: Choosing omnipotent for omniscient.
Trap: Ignoring part of the definition.

Quick revision

-cide, -logy, -phobia, omni-.
Places: aviary, apiary, granary, arsenal.
Read the full phrase.

Practice MCQs

In a vocabulary round held in Surat, Asha was asked for one word meaning: “a person living at the same time as another”.
1. Democracy
2. Polyglot
3. Extempore
4. Contemporary
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (d) Contemporary. Answer: Contemporary.
In a vocabulary round held in Nagpur, Meera was asked for one word meaning: “a person living at the same time as another”.
1. Panacea
2. Contemporary
3. Inevitable
4. Somnambulist
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (b) Contemporary. Answer: Contemporary.
In a vocabulary round held in Bhopal, Nisha was asked for one word meaning: “a person who loves books”.
1. Democracy
2. Polyglot
3. Extempore
4. Bibliophile
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (d) Bibliophile. Answer: Bibliophile.
In a vocabulary round held in Kochi, Tara was asked for one word meaning: “a person who compiles a dictionary”.
1. Astronomer
2. Lexicographer
3. Polyglot
4. Illiterate
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Show answer
Answer: (b) Lexicographer. Answer: Lexicographer.
In a vocabulary round held in Nagpur, Ravi was asked for one word meaning: “a person who compiles a dictionary”.
1. Misanthrope
2. Lexicographer
3. Inevitable
4. Panacea
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (b) Lexicographer. Answer: Lexicographer.
In a vocabulary round held in Pune, Kabir was asked for one word meaning: “a person living at the same time as another”.
1. Democracy
2. Aviary
3. Contemporary
4. Extempore
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (c) Contemporary. Answer: Contemporary.
In a vocabulary round held in Kochi, Dev was asked for one word meaning: “a person who loves books”.
1. Aviary
2. Extempore
3. Democracy
4. Bibliophile
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (d) Bibliophile. Answer: Bibliophile.
In a vocabulary round held in Kochi, Nisha was asked for one word meaning: “a person living at the same time as another”.
1. Panacea
2. Contemporary
3. Misanthrope
4. Lexicographer
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (b) Contemporary. Answer: Contemporary.
In a vocabulary round held in Surat, Ravi was asked for one word meaning: “a government by the people”.
1. Democracy
2. Optimist
3. Aviary
4. Misanthrope
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (a) Democracy. Answer: Democracy.
In a vocabulary round held in Jaipur, Meera was asked for one word meaning: “a person who loves books”.
1. Misanthrope
2. Lexicographer
3. Optimist
4. Bibliophile
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (d) Bibliophile. Answer: Bibliophile.
In a vocabulary round held in Jaipur, Asha was asked for one word meaning: “a speech delivered without preparation”.
1. Polyglot
2. Democracy
3. Astronomer
4. Extempore
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (d) Extempore. Answer: Extempore.
In a vocabulary round held in Jaipur, Asha was asked for one word meaning: “a government by the people”.
1. Polyglot
2. Astronomer
3. Extempore
4. Democracy
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (d) Democracy. Answer: Democracy.
In a vocabulary round held in Jaipur, Ravi was asked for one word meaning: “a person who compiles a dictionary”.
1. Aviary
2. Lexicographer
3. Extempore
4. Democracy
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (b) Lexicographer. Answer: Lexicographer.
In a vocabulary round held in Jaipur, Ravi was asked for one word meaning: “a remedy for all diseases”.
1. Extempore
2. Panacea
3. Democracy
4. Aviary
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (b) Panacea. Answer: Panacea.
In a vocabulary round held in Jaipur, Meera was asked for one word meaning: “a person living at the same time as another”.
1. Misanthrope
2. Contemporary
3. Aviary
4. Optimist
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (b) Contemporary. Answer: Contemporary.