Question:
Choose the word that best matches the meaning of “Misanthropist.”
Choose the word that best matches the meaning of “Misanthropist.”
Show Hint
Learning Greek and Latin roots is a powerful strategy for competitive exams.
Remembering that “miso-” means hatred and “anthro-” means human allows you to instantly solve many words like “misogynist” (hater of women) and “anthropology” (study of humans).
Remembering that “miso-” means hatred and “anthro-” means human allows you to instantly solve many words like “misogynist” (hater of women) and “anthropology” (study of humans).
Updated On: Jun 3, 2026
- A person who loves mankind
- A person who hates or distrusts people
- A person who studies history
- A person who travels frequently
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Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Question:
This question asks us to identify the correct meaning of the noun “Misanthropist”.
This is a vocabulary question that can be solved effectively by breaking down the word into its Greek roots.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
1. Etymological analysis is highly effective for learning and remembering English vocabulary. Let us break the word “misanthropist” into its constituent parts:
- The prefix “mis-” or “miso-” comes from the Greek word “misein”, which means “to hate”.
- The root word “anthrop-” comes from the Greek word “anthropos”, which means “human” or “mankind”.
- The suffix “-ist” refers to a person who practices or holds a certain belief.
2. Combining these components, we find that a “misanthropist” (or misanthrope) is literally “a person who hates or distrusts humankind”.
3. Now let us analyze each of the given options:
- Option (A) “A person who loves mankind” describes a “philanthropist”. The prefix “phil-” comes from the Greek word meaning “love”, which is the exact opposite of “miso-”. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
- Option (B) “A person who hates or distrusts people” aligns perfectly with our etymological breakdown of the word “misanthropist”. This is the correct definition.
- Option (C) “A person who studies history” is a “historian”. This has no relation to the roots “miso-” or “anthrop-”. Thus, this option is incorrect.
- Option (D) “A person who travels frequently” can be described as a “globetrotter”, “wayfarer”, or “itinerant”. This has no connection to the given word.
4. Misanthropists generally avoid social interactions and have a cynical view of human nature. Understanding these root words helps in identifying meanings of related words such as “misanthropy” (the hatred of mankind) and “misanthropic” (characterized by hatred of mankind).
Step 3: Final Answer:
Therefore, the correct option is (B).
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