Roots that unlock dozens of words
| Root | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -cide | killing | homicide, suicide, patricide, regicide, genocide, pesticide |
| -phobia | fear of | hydrophobia, claustrophobia, acrophobia, xenophobia |
| -cracy | rule by | democracy, autocracy, bureaucracy, plutocracy, theocracy |
| -logy | study of | anthropology, ornithology, etymology, seismology |
| omni- | all | omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, omnivorous |
| -vorous | eating | herbivorous, carnivorous, omnivorous |
| mono- / poly- | one / many | monogamy, monotheism / polygamy, polytheism |
People
| Description | One word |
|---|---|
| One who does not believe in God | Atheist |
| One who is not sure whether God exists | Agnostic |
| One who knows everything | Omniscient |
| One who can speak many languages | Polyglot |
| One who looks at the bright side | Optimist |
| One who hates mankind | Misanthrope |
| One who loves mankind | Philanthropist |
| One who lives alone and avoids company | Recluse |
| One who walks in sleep | Somnambulist |
| One who eats too much | Glutton |
| One who is new to a profession | Novice |
| One who pretends to be what they are not | Hypocrite |
| A person who is very careful about small details | Meticulous / pedant |
| One who cannot be corrected | Incorrigible |
| One who is present everywhere | Omnipresent |
Government and society
| Description | One word |
|---|---|
| Government by the people | Democracy |
| Government by one person with total power | Autocracy |
| Government by the wealthy | Plutocracy |
| Government by officials | Bureaucracy |
| A state with no government or order | Anarchy |
| Rule by religious leaders | Theocracy |
| A list of items to be discussed at a meeting | Agenda |
| Money paid to a person after retirement | Pension |
Killing
| Killing of | One word |
|---|---|
| one's father | Patricide |
| one's mother | Matricide |
| a king | Regicide |
| a brother | Fratricide |
| a whole race or group | Genocide |
| an infant | Infanticide |
Words for things and situations
| Description | One word |
|---|---|
| That which cannot be read | Illegible |
| That which cannot be seen | Invisible |
| That which cannot be avoided | Inevitable |
| That which cannot be corrected | Incorrigible |
| That which cannot be believed | Incredible |
| That which can be eaten | Edible |
| A speech made without preparation | Extempore |
| A medicine that cures all diseases | Panacea |
| A short stay at a place | Sojourn |
| Words written on a tomb | Epitaph |
| A list of books | Bibliography |
| A place where birds are kept | Aviary |
| A place where bees are kept | Apiary |
| A place where fish are kept | Aquarium |
| Life history written by oneself | Autobiography |
| Fear of water | Hydrophobia |
| Fear of closed spaces | Claustrophobia |
| Fear of heights | Acrophobia |
| Study of birds | Ornithology |
| Study of earthquakes | Seismology |
| Study of the origin of words | Etymology |
Frequently asked questions
How many one-word substitution questions come in SSC CGL?
Usually about two in Tier 1, and more in Tier 2. CDS and AFCAT also ask them regularly.
What is the one word for 'one who knows everything'?
Omniscient — from omni- (all) and the Latin root for knowing.
What is the best way to learn one-word substitutions?
Group them by theme and learn the common roots (-cide, -phobia, -cracy, -logy, omni-). Then revise the words you got wrong on a spaced schedule — day 1, 3, 7 and 21.