Word
cognate
Phoneticscog·nate
Countable noun
Definition
n. a word in one language that looks and feels like a word in another language because they share the same ancestor. For example, 'night' in English and 'nuit' in French come from the same ancient root.
n. a word that is related to another word in a different language through a common etymological origin. Derived from the Latin term for 'born together', the term implies a shared genetic history between lexical items.
Examples
“The English word 'father' and the German word 'Vater' are cognates.”
“Language learners often find cognates helpful when building vocabulary, though they must watch out for 'false friends' that look similar but mean different things.”
“Linguistic reconstruction relies on identifying cognates across multiple languages to determine the phonological characteristics and geographical origins of an extinct proto-language.”
Examples
simple
“The English word 'father' and the German word 'Vater' are cognates.”
contextual
“Language learners often find cognates helpful when building vocabulary, though they must watch out for 'false friends' that look similar but mean different things.”
complex
“Linguistic reconstruction relies on identifying cognates across multiple languages to determine the phonological characteristics and geographical origins of an extinct proto-language.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'of' or 'with' when establishing the relationship between two specific words.
Real-World Examples
“The word virtus , a term cognate with the Roman vir (meaning man as opposed to woman), clearly means ‘courage in war’ when it is first recorded in the mid-5th century BCE.” Etymology
From Latin cognātus “related by blood”, itself compounded from co- “together” and gnātus “born”; Portuguese retained the same word as cognato and Spanish as cognado, while English accepted the Latin form wholesale and later produced the doublets connate and cognatus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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