Cognates are defined as two words which have the same form and meaning in two languages. Which of the following is a cognate-type description?

• A. Two words with the same form and meaning in two languages.
• B. Words with similar sounds but different meanings across languages.
• C. Words borrowed from one language into another.
• D. Words that are false friends.

Answer: (A)

Two words that have the same form and meaning in two languages show a shared origin in their vocabulary, which is what makes them cognates. This description matches the idea that cognates come from a common ancestral word and retain a similar shape and meaning across languages. For example, English and German often keep closely related forms with the same meaning, such as hotel in English and Hotel in German, reflecting their inherited relationship.

If a description mentions words that sound alike but have different meanings, that points to false friends rather than true cognates. If it talks about words borrowed from one language into another, that describes loanwords, not cognates. And explicitly labeling words as false friends is, by definition, not describing cognates.