parecido

Parecido is a term used in both Spanish and Portuguese to express likeness or resemblance. As an adjective, it denotes something similar and agrees with gender and number (parecido, parecida; parecidos, parecidas). As a noun, it can refer to the resemblance itself or to a person or thing that resembles another, and can be translated roughly as “look-alike” or “similarity.”

In Spanish, parecer is used to indicate resemblance with phrases such as “tiene un parecido con su hermano” or “es muy parecido a su padre.” The noun form “el parecido” can be used to talk about a general similarity, for example, “hay un parecido entre las dos fotos.” Colloquially, “parecido” can also refer to a person who resembles someone else, as in “un parecido suyo.”

In Portuguese, the word functions similarly. One can say “ele é parecido com o pai” to mean he resembles his father, and “há um parecido entre as duas fotos” to note similarity between two images. The noun use mirrors the Spanish, with “o parecido” referring to the resemblance or, in some contexts, to a look-alike.

Etymology and related terms: parecido derives from the verb parecer, meaning to seem or appear, which in turn comes from Latin roots related to appearance. Related concepts include semejanza or similitud in Spanish, and similaridade or semelhança in Portuguese.

Overall, parecidos and parecidos convey nuances of similarity, likeness, and resemblance, usable across descriptors, comparisons, and referents for look-alikes in both languages.