Appendix:False cognates within English

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False cognates are pairs of words that seem to be cognates because of similar sounds and meaning, but have different etymologies. Even though false cognates lack a common root, there may still be an indirect connection between them (for example by phono-semantic matching or folk etymology). This is a partial list of false cognates within English.

Term 1 Etymology 1 Term 2 Etymology 2
-ability Latin -abilitas ability Latin habilitas
-able Latin -abilis able Latin habilis
load Proto-Germanic *laidō lade Proto-Germanic *hlaþaną
abstain abs- (from) + teneō (I hold) abstemious abs (from) + tēmus
legal Latin legalis law Proto-Germanic *lagą
Term 1 Etymology 1 Term 2 Etymology 2 Term 3 Etymology 3
fear Old English fǣr fright Old English fryhtu afraid Old French effreer
sore Old English sār sorry Old English sāriġ sorrow Old English sorg
cow (verb) Old Norse kúga cower Middle English couren coward Latin cauda