In this vocabulary-based odd-man-out question, four English words are given: Barbarous, Uncivilized, Gentle and Wild. Three of these words have similar meanings related to cruelty or lack of refinement, while one word has an opposite meaning of kindness and softness. Which option represents the odd word on the basis of meaning?

Introduction / Context:
This question is a vocabulary odd-man-out problem that focuses on word meanings and synonyms. The four words given in the stem are Barbarous, Uncivilized, Gentle and Wild, and the options A, B, C and D correspond to these words respectively. Such questions are common in verbal ability sections and test whether you can recognize synonyms and antonyms. Here, three words share a rough, harsh or uncivil meaning, while one word expresses a contrasting, soft quality.

Given Data / Assumptions:
Option A refers to Barbarous.
Option B refers to Uncivilized.
Option C refers to Gentle.
Option D refers to Wild.
Barbarous, Uncivilized and Wild describe rough, cruel or uncultured behavior.
Gentle describes mild, kind or soft behavior, which is opposite in meaning.

Concept / Approach:
The concept tested is recognition of synonyms and antonyms. Barbarous suggests cruelty or brutality. Uncivilized suggests lacking culture or refinement. Wild suggests untamed or savage behavior. All three share negative, harsh connotations. Gentle, on the other hand, means kind, mild or tender and carries a positive, soft connotation. Therefore, Gentle is a semantic opposite to the other three and should be treated as the odd word. Since Gentle is associated with option C, option C is the correct choice.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand Barbarous. It means cruel, brutal or extremely harsh. Step 2: Understand Uncivilized. It means lacking refinement, culture or politeness, often associated with rough behavior. Step 3: Understand Wild. It means untamed, uncontrolled or savage, also suggesting harshness. Step 4: Understand Gentle. It means kind, soft, mild and considerate. Step 5: Observe that Barbarous, Uncivilized and Wild all share a sense of roughness, cruelty or lack of civility, while Gentle expresses an opposite quality of kindness and softness. Step 6: Map the words to options: A = Barbarous, B = Uncivilized, C = Gentle and D = Wild, and select C as the odd one.
Verification / Alternative check:
A simple verification method is to try forming synonym groups. Barbarous and Wild can both be used to describe savage behavior. Uncivilized also aligns with the idea of harsh or rough conduct. Gentle does not fit in this group at all and would instead form a group with words like kind, soft, tender or mild. Because it is the only word that does not share the negative or harsh connotation, it must be the odd word. Since option C refers to Gentle, option C is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A (Barbarous) is similar in meaning to Wild and Uncivilized, so it belongs to the main group and is not the odd one out.
Option B (Uncivilized) again has a meaning related to rough or uncultured behavior and fits well with Barbarous and Wild.
Option D (Wild) also aligns with the idea of being savage or uncontrolled, which is consistent with Barbarous and Uncivilized.
Option C (Gentle) is the only one that expresses the opposite idea of softness and kindness and therefore stands out as different.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to focus only on the emotional tone of the words and not on their actual meanings, which may lead to confusion between Barbarous and Wild. Another pitfall is not carefully mapping the words in the stem to the options A, B, C and D, which can cause misselection even if you understand the meanings correctly. Always read the full stem and options mapping before answering vocabulary-based odd-man-out questions.

Final Answer:
The word with opposite meaning to the other three, represented by option C, is Gentle, so the correct choice is C.