Graduate Level intermediate One-Word Substitution English Vocabulary PSC English Word Power
One-Word Substitutions: 100 Extended Terms for PSC Exams
100 one-word substitutions categorized by people, places, actions, qualities, and studies — beyond basic vocabulary, specifically for Kerala PSC Graduate Level exams.
Published: 20 Apr 2026 Relevant for: Graduate Level Prelims, Secretariat Assistant, University Assistant, LDC
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One-word substitutions are among the most frequently tested English questions in Kerala PSC exams. Expect 2-4 questions per paper. This note provides 100 terms categorized for easy revision.
Category 1: People and Persons
| Description | One Word |
|---|---|
| One who does something for the first time | Pioneer |
| One who is new to a profession | Novice |
| One who lives alone and avoids others | Recluse |
| One who eats human flesh | Cannibal |
| One who eats too much | Glutton |
| One who abstains from alcohol | Teetotaller |
| One who knows many languages | Polyglot |
| One who speaks two languages | Bilingual |
| One who collects stamps | Philatelist |
| One who collects coins | Numismatist |
| One who loves books | Bibliophile |
| One who hates mankind | Misanthrope |
| One who hates women | Misogynist |
| One who loves mankind | Philanthropist |
| One who walks in sleep | Somnambulist |
| One who cannot be corrected | Incorrigible |
| One who deserts his religion | Apostate |
| One who betrays his country | Traitor |
| One who works for free (for a cause) | Volunteer |
| One who has no money; bankrupt | Insolvent |
| One who is indifferent to pleasure or pain | Stoic |
| One who looks at the bright side of things | Optimist |
| One who looks at the dark side of things | Pessimist |
| One who doubts the existence of God | Agnostic |
| One who does not believe in God | Atheist |
| One who pretends to be what they are not | Hypocrite |
| A person with an irresistible desire to steal | Kleptomaniac |
| A person obsessively fond of oneself | Narcissist |
| A person who lives in a foreign country | Expatriate |
| A person appointed to settle a dispute | Arbitrator |
Category 2: Killing and Death
| Description | One Word |
|---|---|
| Killing of a king | Regicide |
| Killing of an infant | Infanticide |
| Killing of one’s father | Patricide |
| Killing of one’s mother | Matricide |
| Killing of one’s brother | Fratricide |
| Killing of one’s sister | Sororicide |
| Killing of oneself | Suicide |
| Killing of a large group of people | Genocide |
| Killing of one’s husband | Mariticide |
| Mercy killing | Euthanasia |
| Destroying completely | Annihilation |
Category 3: Government and Rule
| Description | One Word |
|---|---|
| Government by the people | Democracy |
| Government by a king/queen | Monarchy |
| Government by the rich | Plutocracy |
| Government by a small privileged group | Oligarchy |
| Government by religious leaders | Theocracy |
| Government by officials/bureaucrats | Bureaucracy |
| Rule by a dictator (absolute power) | Autocracy |
| Absence of government | Anarchy |
| Government by the elderly | Gerontocracy |
| Government by the military | Stratocracy |
Category 4: Places and Dwellings
| Description | One Word |
|---|---|
| A place where dead bodies are kept | Mortuary |
| A place where animals are slaughtered | Abattoir |
| A place where bees are kept | Apiary |
| A place where birds are kept | Aviary |
| A place where fish are kept | Aquarium |
| A place where weapons are stored | Arsenal |
| A place where medicines are prepared | Dispensary |
| A place where clothes are kept | Wardrobe |
| A place where monks live | Monastery |
| A place for housing aircraft | Hangar |
| A place for lodging soldiers | Barracks |
| Building where grain is stored | Granary |
| A home for dogs | Kennel |
| A home for horses | Stable |
| Shelter for a cow | Byre |
Category 5: Studies and Sciences
| Description | One Word |
|---|---|
| Study of birds | Ornithology |
| Study of insects | Entomology |
| Study of fossils | Palaeontology |
| Study of earthquakes | Seismology |
| Study of weather | Meteorology |
| Study of skin diseases | Dermatology |
| Study of heart | Cardiology |
| Study of bones | Osteology |
| Study of the nervous system | Neurology |
| Study of handwriting | Graphology |
| Study of coins | Numismatics |
| Study of population | Demography |
| Study of races | Ethnology |
| Study of word origins | Etymology |
| Study of fungi | Mycology |
Category 6: Actions and States
| Description | One Word |
|---|---|
| Something that cannot be believed | Incredible |
| Something that cannot be imitated | Inimitable |
| Something that cannot be seen | Invisible |
| Something that cannot be heard | Inaudible |
| Something that cannot be avoided | Inevitable |
| Something that cannot be erased | Indelible |
| Something that cannot be read | Illegible |
| Something that cannot be cured | Incurable |
| Something that cannot be explained | Inexplicable |
| Something that lasts for a very short time | Ephemeral |
| Something that spreads rapidly (disease) | Epidemic |
| Something that spreads across countries | Pandemic |
| Something that is always present in a region (disease) | Endemic |
| A statement that contradicts itself | Paradox |
| A word having the same meaning | Synonym |
| A word having the opposite meaning | Antonym |
| Speaking without preparation | Extempore |
| Existing since birth | Congenital |
| Occurring after death | Posthumous |
Category 7: Qualities and Collections
| Description | One Word |
|---|---|
| A speech delivered without preparation | Impromptu |
| A government order restricting trade or activity | Embargo |
| Leaving a country to settle elsewhere | Emigration |
| Coming into a country to settle | Immigration |
| A list of items to be discussed in a meeting | Agenda |
| A brief record of proceedings | Minutes |
| A written account of someone’s life (by themselves) | Autobiography |
| A written account of someone’s life (by another) | Biography |
| A word or phrase inscribed on a tomb | Epitaph |
| Words spoken at parting | Valediction |
| A speech made for the first time | Maiden speech |
| A state of disorder and confusion | Chaos |
| Animals living in a particular region | Fauna |
| Plants growing in a particular region | Flora |
| A collection of poems | Anthology |
Quick Revision: Most Tested in PSC
| One Word | Meaning (for reverse questions) |
|---|---|
| Amnesty | General pardon for political offences |
| Almanac | Calendar with astronomical data |
| Connoisseur | Expert judge in matters of fine art/taste |
| Contemporaries | People living at the same time |
| Cosmopolitan | A person who regards the whole world as their country |
| Cul-de-sac | A dead-end street |
| Drawn (match) | A game in which neither party wins |
| Edible | Fit to be eaten |
| Eligible | Fit to be chosen |
| Fatalist | One who believes in fate |
| Gullible | One who is easily deceived |
| Honorary | A position held without pay |
| Illiterate | One who cannot read or write |
| Inaudible | Sound that cannot be heard |
| Infallible | One who never makes mistakes |
| Mercenary | One who works for money only |
| Obsolete | No longer in use |
| Omnipotent | One who has unlimited power |
| Omnipresent | Present everywhere |
| Omniscient | One who knows everything |
| Panacea | A cure for all diseases |
| Plagiarism | Copying another’s work and passing as own |
| Sinecure | An office with pay but no work |
| Souvenir | Something kept as a reminder |
| Verbose | Using more words than needed |
| Versatile | One who has many talents |
PSC Pattern: How Questions Appear
| Question Format | Example |
|---|---|
| ”One who knows many languages” | Polyglot |
| ”The word ‘Regicide’ means” | Killing of a king |
| ”A place where bees are kept is called” | Apiary |
| ”The study of earthquakes is” | Seismology |
| ”Which word means ‘fit to be eaten’?” | Edible |
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