Mississippi Foundations of Reading Practice Test

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Prepare for the Mississippi Foundations of Reading Test. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and detailed explanations. Ensure your success in the exam!

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Words similar in meaning that are commonly used in different languages are called?

Homographs
Cognates
Diphthongs
Antonyms

The correct answer is: Cognates

The term that describes words similar in meaning and often used across different languages is cognates. Cognates share a common etymological origin, which means they typically have similar spellings and meanings in both languages. This happens because these languages have evolved from a common ancestor or have borrowed words from each other. For example, the English word "inform" and the Spanish word "informar" are cognates, as they originate from the same Latin root and have similar meanings. Homographs refer to words that are spelled the same but have different meanings. Diphthongs are complex vowel sounds that begin with one vowel sound and glide into another within the same syllable, and antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. Therefore, when seeking a term for words that are alike in meaning across different languages, cognates is the appropriate choice.