Chapter 22
One Word Substitution
Theory
A one-word substitute must be exact, grammatically a single word and must fit the sense of the original phrase. Below are the substitutions organised thematically. Memorise them in groups, because the examiner often clusters distractors from the same group.
3.1 People and Professions
| Phrase / Group of Words | One Word |
|---|---|
| One who studies the stars and heavenly bodies | Astronomer |
| One who studies the influence of stars on human affairs | Astrologer |
| One who draws or studies maps | Cartographer |
| One who treats diseases of the teeth | Dentist |
| One who studies birds | Ornithologist |
| One who studies insects | Entomologist |
| One who studies plants | Botanist |
| One who studies the structure of human society | Sociologist |
| One who walks/performs on a tightrope | Funambulist |
| One who eats everything (all kinds of food) | Omnivore |
| One who eats only flesh / meat | Carnivore |
| One who eats only plants / vegetables | Herbivore |
| One who eats human flesh | Cannibal |
| A lover of books | Bibliophile |
| A great lover and collector of books | Bibliomaniac |
| One who knows / speaks many languages | Polyglot |
| One who does not believe in the existence of God | Atheist |
| One who believes in the existence of God | Theist |
| One who believes that nothing can be known about God | Agnostic |
| One who believes that fate governs everything | Fatalist |
| One who looks at the bright side of things | Optimist |
| One who looks at the dark side of things | Pessimist |
| One who is indifferent to pleasure and pain | Stoic |
| One who is new to a profession / a beginner | Novice |
| One who is recovering from illness | Convalescent |
| One who loves mankind | Philanthropist |
| One who hates mankind | Misanthrope |
| One who hates women | Misogynist |
| One who hates marriage | Misogamist |
| One who can use both hands equally well | Ambidextrous |
| One who travels from place to place / a wanderer | Nomad |
| One who lives alone, away from society | Recluse / Hermit |
| One who leaves his own country to settle in another | Emigrant |
| One who comes into a foreign country to settle | Immigrant |
| A person appointed to settle a dispute | Arbitrator |
| One who collects coins | Numismatist |
| One who collects stamps | Philatelist |
| One who is unable to read or write | Illiterate |
| One who pretends to be what he is not | Hypocrite |
3.2 Manias (Abnormal Cravings) and Phobias (Abnormal Fears)
Key distinction: -mania = an abnormal desire / craving / obsession; -phobia = an abnormal fear / dread. The examiner frequently swaps these two endings.
| Phrase / Group of Words | One Word |
|---|---|
| Abnormal fear of enclosed / confined spaces | Claustrophobia |
| Abnormal fear of heights | Acrophobia |
| Abnormal fear of water | Hydrophobia |
| Abnormal fear / hatred of foreigners or strangers | Xenophobia |
| Abnormal fear of fire | Pyrophobia |
| Abnormal fear of crowds / open public places | Agoraphobia |
| Abnormal fear of being alone | Monophobia |
| Abnormal fear of darkness / night | Nyctophobia |
| An irresistible urge to steal | Kleptomania |
| An irresistible urge to set things on fire | Pyromania |
| An obsessive craving for alcohol | Dipsomania |
| An exaggerated sense of one's own greatness | Megalomania |
| An obsessive desire to write | Graphomania |
3.3 Government and Rule (suffixes -cracy and -archy)
Roots: -cracy = power / rule (Greek kratos); -archy = rule / ruler (Greek archein). The prefix tells you by whom the rule is exercised.
| Phrase / Group of Words | One Word |
|---|---|
| Government by one absolute ruler (unlimited power) | Autocracy |
| Government by the people, for the people | Democracy |
| Government by a small privileged group of people | Oligarchy |
| Government by religious leaders / in the name of God | Theocracy |
| Government by a single king or queen | Monarchy |
| Absence of government / a state of lawlessness | Anarchy |
| Government by the wealthy / rich class | Plutocracy |
| Government run by officials / departments | Bureaucracy |
| Government by the nobles / privileged best class | Aristocracy |
| Government by a mob | Mobocracy / Ochlocracy |
| Government by the most talented / able persons | Meritocracy |
| Rule by women | Matriarchy |
| Rule by men / the father as head | Patriarchy |
3.4 Killing and Murder (suffix -cide)
Root: -cide (Latin caedere, "to kill / cut"). The first part names the victim.
| Phrase / Group of Words | One Word |
|---|---|
| The killing of a human being / murder | Homicide |
| The act of killing oneself | Suicide |
| The killing of a king | Regicide |
| The killing of one's brother | Fratricide |
| The killing of one's father | Patricide |
| The killing of one's mother | Matricide |
| The killing of an infant / a new-born child | Infanticide |
| The deliberate killing of a whole race or community | Genocide |
| A substance used for killing insects | Insecticide |
| A substance used for killing weeds / unwanted plants | Herbicide / Weedicide |
| A substance used for killing germs | Germicide |
| The killing of one's wife | Uxoricide |
| The killing of one's child | Filicide |
| The killing of a large number of people / a mass slaughter | Massacre |
3.5 Places and Things
| Phrase / Group of Words | One Word |
|---|---|
| A place where bees are kept | Apiary |
| A place where horses are kept | Stable |
| A place where birds are kept | Aviary |
| A place where pigs are kept | Sty |
| A place where fish are kept | Aquarium |
| A place where dead bodies are kept | Mortuary |
| A place where money is coined | Mint |
| A place where weapons are stored | Armoury / Arsenal |
| A place for the treatment / care of orphans | Orphanage |
| A place where wine is made or stored | Winery / Cellar |
| The words inscribed on a tomb | Epitaph |
| The life story of a person written by another | Biography |
| The life story of a person written by himself | Autobiography |
| A speech made by a person to himself (on stage) | Soliloquy |
| A short speech addressed by an actor to the audience | Aside |
| A period of one hundred years | Century |
| A period of ten years | Decade |
| A period of a thousand years | Millennium |
| A medicine that counteracts the effect of a poison | Antidote |
| A substance that destroys or stops the growth of microbes | Antiseptic |
| That which cannot be read | Illegible |
| That which cannot be heard | Inaudible |
| That which cannot be corrected / reformed | Incorrigible |
| That which cannot be avoided | Inevitable |
| That which is bound to happen / about to happen | Imminent |
| That which cannot be conquered / defeated | Invincible |
| That which cannot be believed | Incredible |
| That which cannot be explained in words | Inexplicable / Ineffable |
| That which cannot be seen | Invisible |
| That which cannot be touched / felt | Intangible |
| That which lasts only for a short time | Transient / Ephemeral |
| That which can be carried easily | Portable |
| That which cannot be divided | Indivisible |
| A word, phrase or sentence that reads the same backwards | Palindrome |
| A list of books and articles on a subject | Bibliography |
| A collection of poems | Anthology |
| An animal that lives both on land and in water | Amphibian |
| An animal that is active at night | Nocturnal |
| A government grant of money to support an institution | Subsidy |
| A remedy for all diseases / ills | Panacea |
3.6 Conduct, Time and Belief (Additional)
| Phrase / Group of Words | One Word |
|---|---|
| A person who eats too much | Glutton |
| A person who saves money meanly / spends very little | Miser |
| A person who spends money recklessly / wastefully | Spendthrift |
| One who does something not for payment but for pleasure | Amateur |
| One who is paid for his work / does it as a profession | Professional |
| One who criticises / passes judgement on art and literature | Critic |
| A person who is hard to please | Fastidious |
| One who can speak fluently and effectively | Eloquent / Orator |
| A government by officials responsible to no one but themselves | Bureaucracy |
| One who is present everywhere at the same time | Omnipresent |
| One who is all-powerful | Omnipotent |
| One who knows everything | Omniscient |
| A speech delivered without previous preparation | Extempore / Impromptu |
| Something that happens / is done every year | Annual |
| Something that happens once in two years | Biennial |
| Something that happens twice a year | Biannual |
| Words / customs no longer in use | Obsolete |
| A decision on which all agree | Unanimous |
| That which is fit to be eaten | Edible |
| That which is fit to be drunk | Potable |
| A line that touches a circle at one point | Tangent |
| A picture/scene that arouses pity | Pathetic |
| One who deserts his religion / principles | Apostate / Renegade |
| The violation or profanation of something sacred | Sacrilege |
3.7 Word-Roots that Generate One-Word Substitutes
The single most powerful examination skill is to decode a word from its root. Learn the building blocks below and you can construct or recognise dozens of words you have never seen.
| Root / Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -cide | act of killing | homicide, suicide, regicide, genocide, insecticide |
| -cracy | rule / power / government | democracy, autocracy, plutocracy, bureaucracy |
| -archy | rule / ruler | monarchy, oligarchy, anarchy, matriarchy |
| -graphy | writing / recording / description | biography, autobiography, cartography, bibliography |
| -logy / -logist | study of / one who studies | ornithologist, sociologist, entomologist, geology |
| -phobia | abnormal fear | claustrophobia, acrophobia, hydrophobia, xenophobia |
| -mania | abnormal craving / obsession | kleptomania, pyromania, dipsomania, megalomania |
| -philia / -phile | love of / fondness for | bibliophile, anglophile, Francophile |
| -phobe | one who fears / hates | xenophobe, technophobe |
| -vorous | eating / feeding on | carnivorous, herbivorous, omnivorous, insectivorous |
| -ist | one who practises / believes | atheist, theist, fatalist, philatelist, numismatist |
| omni- | all / everywhere | omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, omnivore |
| mis(o)- | hatred of | misanthrope, misogynist, misogamist |
| poly- / mono- | many / one | polyglot, monarchy, monologue |
3.8 Example Sentences
Study how the substituted word replaces a whole phrase neatly:
- The cartographer spent years preparing an accurate map of the river basin. (instead of "the person who draws maps")
- Police suspected a case of regicide after the elderly king was found poisoned. (the killing of a king)
- Her claustrophobia made it impossible for her to use the crowded lift. (abnormal fear of enclosed spaces)
- Because the prescription was illegible, the chemist refused to dispense the medicine. (that which cannot be read)
- The dictator's autocracy left no room for dissent or debate. (government by one absolute ruler)
- A true philanthropist, she donated her entire fortune to build schools. (one who loves and helps mankind)
- The actor's soliloquy revealed his hidden guilt to the audience. (a speech made to oneself)
Common Exam Errors
The following 25 errors are the traps most frequently set by examiners. Learn the correct distinction in each case.
| # | Wrong (confused substitution) | Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biography (for one's own life written by oneself) | Autobiography | "Auto-" = self; biography is written by another person. |
| 2 | Epitaph (for a witty short poem) | Epigram | Epitaph = words on a tomb; epigram = a witty, pointed saying. |
| 3 | Epigraph (for words on a tomb) | Epitaph | Epigraph = an inscription/quotation at the start of a book or building. |
| 4 | Epithet (for words on a tomb) | Epitaph | Epithet = a descriptive word/phrase attached to a name. |
| 5 | Callous (for young and inexperienced) | Callow | Callous = unfeeling/hard-hearted; callow = immature, inexperienced. |
| 6 | Patricide (for killing a brother) | Fratricide | Frater = brother; pater = father. |
| 7 | Matricide (for killing an infant) | Infanticide | Matricide = killing one's mother; infanticide = killing a child. |
| 8 | Pyrophobia (for the urge to set fires) | Pyromania | -phobia = fear; -mania = compulsive urge. |
| 9 | Kleptophobia (for the urge to steal) | Kleptomania | The compulsion to steal is a mania, not a fear. |
| 10 | Oligarchy (for rule by the wealthy) | Plutocracy | Oligarchy = rule by a few; ploutos = wealth. |
| 11 | Monarchy (for absence of government) | Anarchy | An- = without; anarchy = no government/lawlessness. |
| 12 | Astrologer (for one who studies stars scientifically) | Astronomer | Astronomy = science; astrology = supposed influence of stars. |
| 13 | Aviary (for a place for bees) | Apiary | Apis = bee; aviary is for birds. |
| 14 | Apiary (for a place for birds) | Aviary | Avis = bird; apiary is for bees. |
| 15 | Carnivore (for one who eats everything) | Omnivore | Omni- = all; carni- = flesh only. |
| 16 | Immigrant (for one who leaves his country) | Emigrant | E- = out (leaves); im- = in (enters). |
| 17 | Inevitable (for something about to happen) | Imminent | Inevitable = unavoidable; imminent = close at hand. |
| 18 | Inaudible (for that which cannot be read) | Illegible | Audible = hearable; legible = readable. |
| 19 | Incorrigible (for that which cannot be believed) | Incredible | Incorrigible = beyond correction; incredible = beyond belief. |
| 20 | Eligible (for that which cannot be read) | Illegible | Eligible = qualified to be chosen; do not confuse spelling. |
| 21 | Ingenuous (for clever and inventive) | Ingenious | Ingenious = clever; ingenuous = innocent/frank. |
| 22 | Amicable (for a person who is friendly) | Amiable | Amiable describes a person; amicable describes a settlement/relation. |
| 23 | Misogynist (for one who hates marriage) | Misogamist | Gyne = woman; gamos = marriage. |
| 24 | Bibliophile (for a place where books are kept) | Library | Bibliophile is a lover of books, not a place. |
| 25 | Agnostic (for one who denies God's existence) | Atheist | Atheist denies God; agnostic says God is unknowable. |
Exam Tricks
- Decode by suffix first. If the option ends in -cide, the answer must involve killing; in -cracy/-archy, government; in -phobia, fear; in -mania, craving; in -vorous, eating.
- Then decode the prefix. Once the suffix fixes the category, the prefix identifies the specifics: regi- (king), frater- (brother), pluto- (wealth), hydro- (water), xeno- (stranger).
- Mania vs Phobia trap. Remember: Mania = Mad craving; Phobia = Frightening fear. Both alliterations help.
- "In-/Il-/Im-/Ir-" negatives. "That which cannot be ___" almost always begins with one of these prefixes (illegible, inaudible, invincible, irreparable).
- Distractor pattern. Examiners pick three options from the same theme (e.g. all four are -cide words) so that careless candidates pick a near-miss. Match the exact victim/agent.
- Self vs Other. The prefix auto- always means "self": autobiography (self-written life), autocracy (self-rule), autograph (self-signature), suicide (killing of self).
- All-prefix omni-. Watch for "all": omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (everywhere), omnivore (eats all).
- Eliminate by part of speech. If the phrase needs a noun (a person/place), reject adjective options, and vice versa.
Frequently Confused Pairs
| Pair | Word 1 — Meaning | Word 2 — Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Amiable / Amicable | Amiable = friendly, good-natured (of a person) | Amicable = friendly, peaceful (of a settlement/relationship) |
| Biography / Autobiography | Biography = life story written by another | Autobiography = life story written by oneself |
| Epitaph / Epigraph / Epigram | Epitaph = words on a tomb; Epigraph = quotation at the start of a book | Epigram = a short, witty, pointed saying |
| Illegible / Eligible | Illegible = that which cannot be read | Eligible = qualified to be chosen |
| Ingenious / Ingenuous | Ingenious = clever, inventive, skilful | Ingenuous = innocent, frank, naïve |
| Callous / Callow | Callous = unfeeling, hard-hearted | Callow = immature, inexperienced |
| Emigrant / Immigrant | Emigrant = one who leaves his own country | Immigrant = one who enters a new country to settle |
| Astronomer / Astrologer | Astronomer = scientist studying heavenly bodies | Astrologer = one who studies the influence of stars on lives |
| Atheist / Agnostic | Atheist = denies the existence of God | Agnostic = believes God is unknowable |
| Misogynist / Misogamist | Misogynist = hater of women | Misogamist = hater of marriage |
| Imminent / Eminent | Imminent = about to happen | Eminent = distinguished, famous |
Exceptions — Important, Rare and Advanced
- Biannual vs Biennial. A genuine trap: biannual = twice a year; biennial = once in two years. Both use "bi-", yet mean opposite frequencies.
- Sty (a place for pigs) and byre (a cowshed) break the regular "-ary/-arium" pattern seen in apiary and aviary.
- Massacre (mass killing) does not take the -cide suffix although it belongs to the killing group.
- Ochlocracy / Mobocracy (rule by the mob) is a rare advanced answer that examiners use to distinguish strong candidates.
- Ineffable (that which cannot be expressed in words) and inexplicable (that which cannot be explained) are advanced near-synonyms; "in words" points to ineffable.
- Ephemeral and transient both mean "lasting a short time", but ephemeral is the more literary, advanced answer.
- Recluse / Hermit / Anchorite. All denote one living in solitude; anchorite is the rare religious form.
- Uxoricide (killing one's wife) and filicide (killing one's child) are rare -cide words that appear only in difficult papers.
50 MCQs
Easy (1–15)
1. One who studies the stars and heavenly bodies.
(a) Astrologer (b) Astronomer (c) Geologist (d) Cartographer
Answer: (b) Astronomer
Explanation: Astronomy is the scientific study of celestial bodies.
2. A place where bees are kept.
(a) Aviary (b) Apiary (c) Sty (d) Stable
Answer: (b) Apiary
Explanation: Latin "apis" = bee.
3. The act of killing oneself.
(a) Homicide (b) Regicide (c) Suicide (d) Genocide
Answer: (c) Suicide
Explanation: "Sui-" = self + "-cide" = killing.
4. Government by the people.
(a) Autocracy (b) Monarchy (c) Democracy (d) Oligarchy
Answer: (c) Democracy
Explanation: "Demos" = people + "kratos" = rule.
5. One who loves and works for the welfare of mankind.
(a) Misanthrope (b) Philanthropist (c) Egoist (d) Pessimist
Answer: (b) Philanthropist
Explanation: "Philos" = love + "anthropos" = man.
6. That which cannot be read.
(a) Inaudible (b) Eligible (c) Illegible (d) Invisible
Answer: (c) Illegible
Explanation: "Legible" = readable; "il-" negates it.
7. The life story of a person written by himself.
(a) Biography (b) Autobiography (c) Bibliography (d) Anthology
Answer: (b) Autobiography
Explanation: "Auto-" = self.
8. A place where birds are kept.
(a) Apiary (b) Aviary (c) Aquarium (d) Mortuary
Answer: (b) Aviary
Explanation: Latin "avis" = bird.
9. One who does not believe in the existence of God.
(a) Theist (b) Agnostic (c) Atheist (d) Fatalist
Answer: (c) Atheist
Explanation: "A-" = without + "theos" = God.
10. The words inscribed on a tomb.
(a) Epigram (b) Epigraph (c) Epitaph (d) Epithet
Answer: (c) Epitaph
Explanation: An epitaph honours the dead on a gravestone.
11. One who knows and speaks many languages.
(a) Linguist (b) Polyglot (c) Bilingual (d) Orator
Answer: (b) Polyglot
Explanation: "Poly-" = many + "glotta" = tongue/language.
12. A period of one hundred years.
(a) Decade (b) Century (c) Millennium (d) Jubilee
Answer: (b) Century
Explanation: Latin "centum" = hundred.
13. An animal that eats only flesh.
(a) Herbivore (b) Omnivore (c) Carnivore (d) Cannibal
Answer: (c) Carnivore
Explanation: "Carni-" = flesh + "-vorous" = eating.
14. The killing of a king.
(a) Patricide (b) Regicide (c) Fratricide (d) Genocide
Answer: (b) Regicide
Explanation: Latin "rex/regis" = king.
15. A medicine that counteracts the effect of a poison.
(a) Antiseptic (b) Antidote (c) Antibiotic (d) Panacea
Answer: (b) Antidote
Explanation: An antidote neutralises a specific poison.
Moderate (16–35)
16. One who walks or performs on a tightrope.
(a) Acrobat (b) Funambulist (c) Somnambulist (d) Equilibrist
Answer: (b) Funambulist
Explanation: "Funis" = rope + "ambulare" = to walk.
17. The killing of one's brother.
(a) Patricide (b) Matricide (c) Fratricide (d) Infanticide
Answer: (c) Fratricide
Explanation: Latin "frater" = brother.
18. An irresistible urge to steal.
(a) Kleptophobia (b) Kleptomania (c) Pyromania (d) Dipsomania
Answer: (b) Kleptomania
Explanation: A compulsion (mania), not a fear.
19. Government by the wealthy class.
(a) Oligarchy (b) Aristocracy (c) Plutocracy (d) Bureaucracy
Answer: (c) Plutocracy
Explanation: Greek "ploutos" = wealth.
20. One who studies birds.
(a) Entomologist (b) Ornithologist (c) Botanist (d) Zoologist
Answer: (b) Ornithologist
Explanation: "Ornis" = bird.
21. A speech made by a character to himself on the stage.
(a) Monologue (b) Dialogue (c) Soliloquy (d) Aside
Answer: (c) Soliloquy
Explanation: "Solus" = alone + "loqui" = to speak.
22. An abnormal fear of enclosed spaces.
(a) Acrophobia (b) Agoraphobia (c) Claustrophobia (d) Xenophobia
Answer: (c) Claustrophobia
Explanation: "Claustrum" = enclosed space.
23. One who leaves his own country to settle in another.
(a) Immigrant (b) Emigrant (c) Nomad (d) Refugee
Answer: (b) Emigrant
Explanation: "E-" = out; he goes out of his country.
24. That which is bound to happen / about to happen.
(a) Inevitable (b) Eminent (c) Imminent (d) Permanent
Answer: (c) Imminent
Explanation: Imminent = close at hand and likely to occur soon.
25. The deliberate extermination of a whole race or community.
(a) Homicide (b) Massacre (c) Genocide (d) Infanticide
Answer: (c) Genocide
Explanation: "Genos" = race/tribe.
26. One who draws or makes maps.
(a) Geographer (b) Cartographer (c) Topographer (d) Surveyor
Answer: (b) Cartographer
Explanation: "Carta" = map/chart + "-graphy" = drawing.
27. Absence of government leading to lawlessness.
(a) Monarchy (b) Oligarchy (c) Anarchy (d) Autocracy
Answer: (c) Anarchy
Explanation: "An-" = without + "archy" = rule.
28. An abnormal fear of foreigners or strangers.
(a) Hydrophobia (b) Xenophobia (c) Acrophobia (d) Agoraphobia
Answer: (b) Xenophobia
Explanation: "Xenos" = stranger/foreigner.
29. One who collects and studies coins.
(a) Philatelist (b) Numismatist (c) Cartographer (d) Archivist
Answer: (b) Numismatist
Explanation: Numismatics is the study of coins.
30. A substance used for killing insects.
(a) Herbicide (b) Germicide (c) Insecticide (d) Pesticide
Answer: (c) Insecticide
Explanation: "-cide" applied specifically to insects.
31. One who believes that fate governs everything.
(a) Optimist (b) Fatalist (c) Stoic (d) Pessimist
Answer: (b) Fatalist
Explanation: A fatalist submits to fate as inevitable.
32. That which cannot be heard.
(a) Illegible (b) Invisible (c) Inaudible (d) Intangible
Answer: (c) Inaudible
Explanation: "Audible" = hearable; "in-" negates it.
33. One who hates marriage.
(a) Misogynist (b) Misanthrope (c) Misogamist (d) Bachelor
Answer: (c) Misogamist
Explanation: "Miso-" = hatred + "gamos" = marriage.
34. A great lover of books.
(a) Bibliographer (b) Bibliophile (c) Librarian (d) Bibliomaniac
Answer: (b) Bibliophile
Explanation: "Biblio-" = book + "-phile" = lover.
35. One who eats human flesh.
(a) Carnivore (b) Omnivore (c) Cannibal (d) Predator
Answer: (c) Cannibal
Explanation: A cannibal feeds on members of its own species.
Difficult (36–50)
36. Government by a mob.
(a) Plutocracy (b) Ochlocracy (c) Meritocracy (d) Theocracy
Answer: (b) Ochlocracy
Explanation: "Ochlos" = mob; also called mobocracy.
37. That which cannot be expressed in words.
(a) Inexplicable (b) Ineffable (c) Illegible (d) Incredible
Answer: (b) Ineffable
Explanation: Ineffable = too great to be put into words.
38. The killing of one's wife.
(a) Filicide (b) Uxoricide (c) Matricide (d) Fratricide
Answer: (b) Uxoricide
Explanation: Latin "uxor" = wife.
39. An exaggerated sense of one's own greatness or power.
(a) Dipsomania (b) Megalomania (c) Kleptomania (d) Pyromania
Answer: (b) Megalomania
Explanation: "Megalo-" = great/large.
40. A word or sentence that reads the same backwards and forwards.
(a) Anagram (b) Acronym (c) Palindrome (d) Homonym
Answer: (c) Palindrome
Explanation: E.g. "level", "madam".
41. One who is recovering from illness.
(a) Patient (b) Convalescent (c) Invalid (d) Hypochondriac
Answer: (b) Convalescent
Explanation: To convalesce is to regain health gradually.
42. Something that happens once in two years.
(a) Biannual (b) Biennial (c) Annual (d) Perennial
Answer: (b) Biennial
Explanation: Biennial = every two years; biannual = twice a year.
43. One who believes that nothing about God can be known.
(a) Atheist (b) Theist (c) Agnostic (d) Apostate
Answer: (c) Agnostic
Explanation: An agnostic holds that the divine is unknowable.
44. That which cannot be conquered or defeated.
(a) Invisible (b) Invincible (c) Incorrigible (d) Inevitable
Answer: (b) Invincible
Explanation: "Vincere" = to conquer; "in-" negates it.
45. One who can use both hands with equal skill.
(a) Ambivalent (b) Ambidextrous (c) Dexterous (d) Versatile
Answer: (b) Ambidextrous
Explanation: "Ambi-" = both + "dexter" = right hand.
46. A remedy that is claimed to cure all diseases.
(a) Antidote (b) Antiseptic (c) Panacea (d) Tonic
Answer: (c) Panacea
Explanation: "Pan-" = all + "akos" = cure.
47. Words or customs that are no longer in use.
(a) Obscure (b) Obsolete (c) Archaic (d) Redundant
Answer: (b) Obsolete
Explanation: Obsolete = out of date and no longer used.
48. One who is hard to please and very particular about details.
(a) Meticulous (b) Fastidious (c) Pedantic (d) Scrupulous
Answer: (b) Fastidious
Explanation: A fastidious person is fussy and hard to satisfy.
49. A government grant of money to support an enterprise.
(a) Subsidy (b) Stipend (c) Bounty (d) Pension
Answer: (a) Subsidy
Explanation: A subsidy is financial aid granted, often by the state.
50. One who is present everywhere at the same time.
(a) Omnipotent (b) Omniscient (c) Omnipresent (d) Omnivorous
Answer: (c) Omnipresent
Explanation: "Omni-" = all + "praesens" = present (everywhere).