Cognate: meaning, definitions and examples

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cognate

 

[ หˆkษ’ษกneษชt ]

Noun / Adjective
Context #1 | Noun

linguistic term

A cognate is a word that has a common etymological origin with another word. This term is prevalent in linguistics, where it describes words in different languages that have a similar form and meaning because they derive from a common ancestral language. For instance, the English word 'mother' and the German word 'Mutter' are cognates, tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root. Recognizing cognates can aid in understanding language relationships and etymology.

Synonyms

analog, kin, relative.

Examples of usage

  • The terms 'father' and 'pater' are cognates.
  • Spanish and Italian share many cognates.
  • She studied cognates in her linguistics class.
Context #2 | Adjective

related languages

When referring to languages, cognate describes words or forms that have evolved from the same ancestral source or share a common origin. This can be seen in groups of languages such as the Romance languages, which have numerous cognate words derived from Latin. Understanding cognates in this context helps linguists trace the evolution and interrelationship of languages over time.

Synonyms

connected, derived, related.

Examples of usage

  • Cognate languages often exhibit similar syntax.
  • The cognate verbs help in understanding the language origin.
  • Linguists study cognate forms to analyze language development.

Translations

Translations of the word "cognate" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น cognato

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคธเค‚เคฌเค‚เคงเคฟเคค เคถเคฌเฅเคฆ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Verwandter

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ kata serumpun

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ัะฟะพั€ั–ะดะฝะตะฝะต ัะปะพะฒะพ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ wyraz pokrewny

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๅŒๆ—่ชž

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท cognat

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ cognado

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท yakฤฑn akraba

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋™์กฑ์–ด

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ูƒู„ู…ุฉ ู…ุชู‚ุงุฑุจุฉ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ pล™รญbuznรฉ slovo

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ prรญbuznรฉ slovo

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅŒๆบ่ฏ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ sorodni izraz

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ skyld orรฐ

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ั‚ัƒั‹ั ัำฉะท

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒกแƒแƒžแƒแƒขแƒ˜แƒ แƒกแƒ˜แƒขแƒงแƒ•แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ qohum sรถz

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ cognado

Etymology

The word 'cognate' originates from the Latin term 'cognatus', which means 'blood relative or kinsman'. It is derived from the prefix 'co-' meaning 'together' and 'gnatus', which comes from 'nasci', meaning 'to be born'. The term was first used in the early 17th century in English and has since been adopted into linguistic terminology. Cognates illustrate the connections among languages, reflecting how they evolve and diverge from common roots. They are crucial for etymological studies, tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European languages and showing how different languages retain or transform these early words over millennia. The significance extends beyond mere vocabulary; it helps in understanding cultural and historical ties among language speakers.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #18,200, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.