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a word that shares a common origin with another word in a different language, usually demonstrating similarities in form and meaning due to their common ancestral language
What is a "cognate word"?
A cognate word is a word that has a common origin with a word in another language, sharing similar meanings and often similar forms. Cognates arise from the same root or source language, which can be evident in related languages, such as those that belong to the same language family. For example, the English word "father," the German word "Vater," and the Latin word "pater" are cognates, as they all derive from the same ancestral word. Studying cognates can help linguists understand the historical connections between languages and how they have evolved over time, revealing patterns of sound changes and shifts in meaning.
