Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

cognate

noun

/ˈkɒɡ.neɪt/

Definition

A word that is derived from the same root or origin as another word.

Examples

English and Spanish share many cognates, such as ‘animal’ and ‘animal.’
In linguistics, studying cognates can help trace the evolution of a language.
The words ‘brother’ and ‘frater’ are cognates in English and Latin, respectively.

Meaning

Cognates are words in different languages that have a common etymological origin, or they can refer to words in the same language that have similar meanings and structures, stemming from the same source.