With which of the following words does the prefix "sub-" match correctly?

(a) harass

(b) let

(c) absurd

(d) human

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

MPSC State Service Main Examination 2020 - Marathi and English -Objective Official Paper

Answer 1

The correct answer is '(a) and (d) only'.

Key Points

The prefix "sub-" generally means "under," "below," "beneath," or "less than."
It is used to create new words in English, by attaching it to the start of a base word.
The words created in this way are called derivatives.
Here, the prefix "sub-" can match correctly with the words "harass" and "human", resulting in the words "subharass" and "subhuman".
For instance:
"Subharass" - While this word is not common, it could potentially mean to harass someone in a subtle or less overt manner.
"Subhuman" - This is a common word used to describe something or someone as being less than human, often with the implication of being inferior or lacking in the qualities that are believed to be inherently human.

Hence, the correct answer will be Option 1.