Question

Choose the word which can be substitute for the given word/sentence:
Intentional destruction of racial groups.
a) Homicide
b) Genocide
c) Fratricide
d) Regicide

Answer 1

Hint: ‘Racial group’ refers to a large number of people belonging to one single race. Thus, the sentence implies that a large number of people from a racial group were destroyed/ harmed in a way intentionally.

Complete answer:
 Now, let us decipher the meaning of the words given to us and find the most suitable substitute for the given words. Option a ‘homicide’ is a noun which means the intentional or deliberate and unlawful killing of one person by another. This is not the appropriate substitute as homicide is the murder of one person by another, but the required word must be for a group of people.
Option b ‘genocide’ refers to the intentional and unlawful killing of a large number of people, especially people belonging to an ethnic or racial group. This is what the given sentence talks about. Thus, option ‘b’ is the correct answer.
Option c ‘fratricide’ refers to the intentional and unlawful killing of one’s brother or sister. This is not the required word as it does not mean the same as the given group of words in the sentence. Therefore, option ‘c’ is incorrect.
Option d ‘regicide’ refers to the unlawful killing of a king. This is not the required word. Thus, option ‘d’ is incorrect.

Note:
The word ‘cide’ is the act of killing. Adding a prefix to it defines the kind of killing. For example, ‘geno’ means race or descent and hence, the word genocide is the required answer.