📑 Topics on this page (Jump to Topic):
📌 1. Persons
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Altruist | One who cares for the welfare of others |
| Misanthrope | One who hates mankind |
| Philanthropist | One who loves mankind and does charity |
| Atheist | One who does not believe in God |
| Agnostic | One who is unsure whether God exists |
| Optimist / Pessimist | Hopeful / Gloomy about the future |
| Polyglot | One who knows many languages |
| Novice / Amateur | Beginner / One who does it for pleasure |
| Connoisseur | Expert judge of art/taste |
| Egoist / Egotist | Self-centred / One who talks too much about himself |
| Insolvent / Bankrupt | Unable to pay debts |
| Teetotaller | One who never drinks alcohol |
| Hypocrite | One who pretends to be what he is not |
| Plagiarist | One who copies others' writing as his own |
| Veteran | One with long experience |
| Volunteer | One who offers service willingly |
📌 2. Roots: -cide, -cracy, -phobia, -mania, -logy
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Homicide / Suicide / Regicide / Fratricide / Patricide / Matricide / Infanticide / Genocide | Killing of a human / oneself / king / brother / father / mother / infant / a race |
| Democracy / Autocracy / Bureaucracy / Plutocracy / Theocracy | Rule by people / one person / officials / the rich / priests |
| Anarchy | Absence of government |
| Hydrophobia / Claustrophobia / Acrophobia / Xenophobia | Fear of water / closed spaces / heights / foreigners |
| Kleptomania / Megalomania | Compulsion to steal / Delusion of power |
| Anthropology / Ornithology / Entomology / Philately / Numismatics / Seismology | Study of mankind / birds / insects / stamp collecting / coins / earthquakes |
📌 3. Places and Miscellaneous
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Aviary / Apiary / Granary / Arsenal / Mint / Orchard | Place for birds / bees / grain / weapons / making coins / fruit trees |
| Hangar / Dock / Archives | Place for aircraft / ship repair / old records |
| Illegible / Inaudible / Inevitable / Infallible / Invincible | Cannot be read / heard / avoided / err / defeated |
| Panacea | Remedy for all ills |
| Posthumous | After death |
| Unanimous | With everyone's agreement |
| Epitaph / Obituary | Words on a tomb / Notice of death |
| Biography / Autobiography | Life written by another / by oneself |
| Bilingual | Speaking two languages |
⚠️ Exam Traps:
- Egoist (self-centred) vs Egotist (boastful) — different.
- Amateur (for pleasure) vs Novice (beginner) — an amateur can be skilled.
- Atheist (denies God) vs Agnostic (unsure) vs Theist (believes).
📌 4. Practice MCQs
📝 Practice MCQs (prepared by SF Prep — not PYQs)
Q1. One who does not believe in the existence of God: Practice
Correct answer: (C) Atheist
Explanation: Atheist = denies God's existence.
Explanation: Atheist = denies God's existence.
Q2. One who hates mankind: Practice
Correct answer: (A) Misanthrope
Explanation: miso = hate, anthrop = man → misanthrope.
Explanation: miso = hate, anthrop = man → misanthrope.
Q3. The killing of one's brother: Practice
Correct answer: (D) Fratricide
Explanation: frater = brother → fratricide.
Explanation: frater = brother → fratricide.
Q4. Government by the rich: Practice
Correct answer: (B) Plutocracy
Explanation: pluto = wealth → plutocracy.
Explanation: pluto = wealth → plutocracy.
Q5. Fear of heights: Practice
Correct answer: (D) Acrophobia
Explanation: acro = height → acrophobia.
Explanation: acro = height → acrophobia.
Q6. A place where bees are kept: Practice
Correct answer: (B) Apiary
Explanation: Apis = bee → apiary. Aviary is for birds.
Explanation: Apis = bee → apiary. Aviary is for birds.
Q7. Handwriting that cannot be read: Practice
Correct answer: (C) Illegible
Explanation: Illegible = cannot be read.
Explanation: Illegible = cannot be read.
Q8. A remedy for all diseases: Practice
Correct answer: (A) Panacea
Explanation: Panacea = cure-all.
Explanation: Panacea = cure-all.
Q9. One who knows many languages: Practice
Correct answer: (B) Polyglot
Explanation: poly = many, glot = tongue → polyglot.
Explanation: poly = many, glot = tongue → polyglot.
Q10. A person who never drinks alcohol: Practice
Correct answer: (D) Teetotaller
Explanation: Teetotaller = never drinks alcohol.
Explanation: Teetotaller = never drinks alcohol.
Q11. Study of insects: Practice
Correct answer: (A) Entomology
Explanation: Entomology = insects. Etymology = origin of words (trap).
Explanation: Entomology = insects. Etymology = origin of words (trap).
Q12. An award given after a person's death: Practice
Correct answer: (C) Posthumous
Explanation: Posthumous = after death.
Explanation: Posthumous = after death.
Q13. A decision agreed upon by everyone: Practice
Correct answer: (B) Unanimous
Explanation: Unanimous = with everyone's agreement. Anonymous = nameless (trap).
Explanation: Unanimous = with everyone's agreement. Anonymous = nameless (trap).
Q14. One who copies another's writing and passes it off as his own: Practice
Correct answer: (C) Plagiarist
Explanation: Plagiarist = literary thief.
Explanation: Plagiarist = literary thief.
Q15. A person who is unable to pay his debts: Practice
Correct answer: (D) Insolvent
Explanation: Insolvent/bankrupt = unable to pay debts.
Explanation: Insolvent/bankrupt = unable to pay debts.
Q16. That which cannot be avoided: Practice
Correct answer: (A) Inevitable
Explanation: Inevitable = cannot be avoided.
Explanation: Inevitable = cannot be avoided.
Q17. Study of coins: Practice
Correct answer: (C) Numismatics
Explanation: Numismatics = coins. Philately = stamps.
Explanation: Numismatics = coins. Philately = stamps.
Q18. A place where aircraft are kept: Practice
Correct answer: (A) Hangar
Explanation: Hangar = shed for aircraft.
Explanation: Hangar = shed for aircraft.
Q19. One who is a good judge of art, food or music: Practice
Correct answer: (D) Connoisseur
Explanation: Connoisseur = expert judge of taste.
Explanation: Connoisseur = expert judge of taste.
Q20. An irresistible urge to steal: Practice
Correct answer: (B) Kleptomania
Explanation: Klepto = steal → kleptomania.
Explanation: Klepto = steal → kleptomania.