What term describes words that appear similar but have different meanings?

What term describes words that appear similar but have different meanings?

• A. False cognates
• B. Cognates
• C. Homographs
• D. False friends

Answer: (A)

False cognates describe words that look or sound similar in two languages but have different meanings. This is exactly what the question is asking about—things that appear related because they resemble each other, yet their meanings don’t align. For example, Spanish “embarazada” means pregnant, which is not the same as the English word “embarrassed.” Because they look alike but mean something different, they can mislead learners unless the difference is recognized. Cognates, on the other hand, share a common origin and usually have similar meanings, so they wouldn’t fit. Homographs are the same word in spelling but meanings can vary within one language, not across languages. Some people also use “false friends” to describe this idea, but the standard term used here is false cognates.

False cognates describe words that look or sound similar in two languages but have different meanings. This is exactly what the question is asking about—things that appear related because they resemble each other, yet their meanings don’t align. For example, Spanish “embarazada” means pregnant, which is not the same as the English word “embarrassed.” Because they look alike but mean something different, they can mislead learners unless the difference is recognized. Cognates, on the other hand, share a common origin and usually have similar meanings, so they wouldn’t fit. Homographs are the same word in spelling but meanings can vary within one language, not across languages. Some people also use “false friends” to describe this idea, but the standard term used here is false cognates.