One Word Substitution: 80 Most Important Words for SSC CGL, CHSL and MTS with Meanings and Tricks
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
In this note
- 1.Words About People
- 2.Words About Beliefs and Qualities
- 3.Words About Eating Habits
- 4.Words About Places
- 5.Words About Writing and Speech
- 6.Root Words to Remember
- 7.Tricks to Learn
- 8.Quick Tips
- 9.Quick Revision Points
- 10.Practice Questions With Answers
- 11.How to Practise This Chapter
- 12.Frequently Asked Questions
PDF Notes: One Word Substitution: 80 Most Important Words for SSC CGL, CHSL and MTS with Meanings and Tricks
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In one word substitution, a long phrase is replaced by a single word, for example “a person who loves books” becomes “bibliophile”. SSC CGL, CHSL and MTS ask 3 to 5 questions on this topic every year. This guide on one word substitution for SSC gives the most important words in groups, with the root-word method to remember them, and practice questions with answers.
Words About People
| Phrase | One Word |
|---|---|
| One who writes his own life story | Autobiographer |
| A person who loves books | Bibliophile |
| One who loves mankind and helps others | Philanthropist |
| One who hates mankind | Misanthrope |
| One who hates women | Misogynist |
| One who collects stamps | Philatelist |
| One who collects coins | Numismatist |
| A child who has lost both parents | Orphan |
| One who does not believe in God | Atheist |
| One who believes in God | Theist |
| One who says that God cannot be known | Agnostic |
| One who looks on the bright side of things | Optimist |
| One who looks on the dark side of things | Pessimist |
| One who is selfish and thinks only of himself | Egoist |
| One who thinks of the welfare of others | Altruist |
| One who finds fault with others | Cynic |
| A person who is fond of good food and drink | Epicure |
| One who eats too much | Glutton |
| One who walks on foot | Pedestrian |
| A person who does something for pleasure, not as a profession | Amateur |
| One who is blindly devoted to a cause | Fanatic |
| One who is at home in every part of the world | Cosmopolitan |
| One who can use both hands equally well | Ambidextrous |
| One who sleeps while walking | Somnambulist |
Words About Beliefs and Qualities
| Phrase | One Word |
|---|---|
| Present everywhere | Omnipresent |
| All-powerful | Omnipotent |
| All-knowing | Omniscient |
| Having more than one wife at a time | Polygamy |
| Having only one wife | Monogamy |
| Having two wives at the same time | Bigamy |
| Having more than one husband | Polyandry |
| Not able to be read | Illegible |
| Able to be read | Legible |
| Impossible to hear | Inaudible |
| That cannot be avoided | Inevitable |
| That cannot be conquered | Invincible |
| That cannot make mistakes | Infallible |
| That cannot be corrected | Incorrigible |
| No longer in use | Obsolete |
| Fit to be eaten | Edible |
| Of unknown name | Anonymous |
| By the agreement of all | Unanimous |
| Happening after death | Posthumous |
| Taking a copy of another’s writing as one’s own | Plagiarism |
| Longing for the past | Nostalgia |
| Inability to sleep | Insomnia |
Words About Eating Habits
| Phrase | One Word |
|---|---|
| One who eats only vegetables | Vegetarian |
| One who eats flesh | Carnivorous |
| One who eats plants | Herbivorous |
| One who eats both plants and flesh | Omnivorous |
| One who eats human flesh | Cannibal |
Words About Places
| Phrase | One Word |
|---|---|
| A place where bees are kept | Apiary |
| A place where birds are kept | Aviary |
| A place where fish are kept | Aquarium |
| A place where fruit trees are grown | Orchard |
| A place where grain is stored | Granary |
| A place where wild animals are kept | Menagerie |
| A place where the dead are buried | Cemetery |
| A place where dead bodies are kept for examination | Mortuary |
| A place for the sick to recover (for rest and health) | Sanatorium |
| A place where arms and weapons are stored | Arsenal |
| A place for the study of stars | Observatory |
| A place where books are kept | Library |
| A place where monks live | Monastery |
| A place where nuns live | Convent |
| A hospital for animals | Veterinary hospital |
Words About Writing and Speech
| Phrase | One Word |
|---|---|
| A speech that a person makes to himself | Soliloquy |
| A story of someone’s life written by another | Biography |
| A set of three books or plays | Trilogy |
| A collection of poems or writings | Anthology |
| A dictionary | Lexicon |
| A poem of mourning | Elegy |
| A short witty saying | Epigram |
| Words written on a tomb | Epitaph |
| A book giving information on all subjects | Encyclopaedia |
| A long speech | Harangue |
| Fear of open spaces | Agoraphobia |
| Fear of closed spaces | Claustrophobia |
| Fear of water | Hydrophobia |
| Fear of heights | Acrophobia |
Root Words to Remember
| Root | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Phil / phile | Love | Philanthropist, bibliophile, philatelist |
| Mis / miso | Hate | Misanthrope, misogynist |
| Omni | All | Omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient |
| Poly | Many | Polygamy, polyandry |
| Mono | One | Monogamy, monologue |
| Phobia | Fear | Claustrophobia, hydrophobia |
| -vorous | Eating | Carnivorous, herbivorous, omnivorous |
| Auto | Self | Autobiography, autocracy |
| Theo | God | Theist, atheist |
Tricks to Learn
- Learn the words in groups, not alphabetically.
- Use root words to guess the meaning in the exam.
- Make flash cards with the phrase on one side and the word on the other.
- Revise 20 words every day.
- Note the difference between pairs like theist and atheist, legible and illegible.
Quick Tips
- Learn the words in groups.
- Use root words such as phil, mis, omni and poly.
- Make flash cards and revise daily.
- Learn confusing pairs together.
Quick Revision Points
- Bibliophile loves books; philatelist collects stamps; numismatist collects coins.
- Omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient all use the root omni.
- Carnivorous, herbivorous and omnivorous end with -vorous.
- Monogamy is one spouse; bigamy is two; polygamy is many.
- Apiary is for bees and aviary is for birds.
Practice Questions With Answers
- One who loves books
Answer: Bibliophile - One who hates mankind
Answer: Misanthrope - All-knowing
Answer: Omniscient - A place where bees are kept
Answer: Apiary - One who eats both plants and animals
Answer: Omnivorous - A person who collects coins
Answer: Numismatist - A speech made by a person to himself
Answer: Soliloquy - That which cannot be avoided
Answer: Inevitable - Fear of closed spaces
Answer: Claustrophobia - No longer in use
Answer: Obsolete
How to Practise This Chapter
Practise 10 questions every day and write the steps on paper. Then attempt timed sets from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all topics on the English notes page, read the previous topic Idioms and Phrases.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is one word substitution?
It is replacing a phrase or sentence by a single word that has the same meaning.
Is one word substitution asked in SSC?
Yes. 3 to 5 questions are asked in SSC CGL, CHSL and MTS.
What is the word for one who loves books?
Bibliophile.
What is the word for a person who collects stamps?
Philatelist.
What is the word for one who does not believe in God?
Atheist.
What is an apiary?
A place where bees are kept.
What is the difference between a carnivorous and an omnivorous animal?
A carnivore eats flesh only; an omnivore eats both plants and flesh.
What is the place for observing stars called?
It is called an observatory, and the science of stars is astronomy.
How can I learn one word substitution quickly?
Learn the root words and groups, and revise with flash cards.
What does omnipotent mean?
All-powerful.
What is the word for fear of water?
Hydrophobia.
How many words should I learn?
About 150 of the common words; this list covers the most important.
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.