• 50 cide words one word substitution list with meanings for competitive exams vocabulary learning guide.
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“Cide” Words with meanings for Competitive Exams

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👇 Essential '-Cide' Words
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This specialized list of -Cide words focuses on one-word substitutions for various types of killings or acts of destruction. Derived from the Latin caedere (to kill), these terms are high-frequency essentials for competitive exams and linguistic precision.

Mastering these 50 essential one-word substitutions helps students identify patterns in English etymology and perform with higher accuracy in vocabulary sections of Olympiads and SATs.

👨‍👩‍👧 Family 🏛️ Society 🌿 Biology 🧠 Abstract

Family & Relatives

Phrase (Exam Format) One Word
1. The killing of one’s father Patricide
2. The killing of one’s mother Matricide
3. The killing of one’s parents or a near relative Parricide
4. The killing of one’s brother Fratricide
5. The killing of one’s sister Sororicide
6. The killing of one’s child Filicide
7. The killing of a newborn infant (within 24 hours) Neonaticide
8. The killing of an infant Infanticide
9. The killing of one’s husband Mariticide
10. The killing of one’s wife Uxoricide
11. The killing of one’s offspring Prolicide
12. The killing of one's entire family Familicide
13. The killing of the elderly Senicide
14. The killing of a foetus Foeticide

Authority & Society

Phrase (Exam Format) One Word
15. The killing of a human being Homicide
16. The killing of a King or Queen Regicide
17. The killing of an entire race or nation Genocide
18. The killing of people by their own government Democide
19. The killing of a tyrant Tyrannicide
20. The killing of a prophet or sacred person Vaticide
21. The killing of a god or divine being Deicide
22. The killing of a friend Amicicide
23. The killing of a large group of people Populicide
24. The killing of a political leader Politicide
25. The total destruction of all life or everything Omnicide

Nature & Biology

Phrase (Exam Format) One Word
26. The killing of insects / a substance used for it Insecticide
27. The killing of pests / a substance used for it Pesticide
28. The killing of weeds / a substance used for it Herbicide
29. The killing of bacteria / a substance used for it Bactericide
30. The killing of rodents / a substance used for it Rodenticide
31. The killing of fungi / a substance used for it Fungicide
32. The killing of germs / a substance used for it Germicide
33. The killing of birds / a substance used for it Avicide
34. The killing of fish / a substance used for it Piscicide
35. The killing of a fox Vulpicide
36. The killing of a snake Serpenticide
37. The killing of a dog Canicide
38. The killing of a cat Felicide
39. The killing of bees Apicide
40. The killing of living organisms / a substance for it Biocide
41. The killing of a parasite Parasiticide
42. The killing of a virus Virucide

Abstract & Environmental

Phrase (Exam Format) One Word
43. The act of killing oneself intentionally Suicide
44. The systematic killing of the mind (brainwashing) Menticide
45. The destruction of the environment Ecocide
46. The destruction of a city Urbicide
47. The destruction of books or libraries Libricide
48. The destruction of a language Linguicide

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