English has lots of pairs of words that both mean the same thing. Examples: pork and swine, beef and cow, mutton and sheep, battle and fight, fraternity and brother, justice and right, elevate and lift.

The words pork, beef, mutton, battle, fraternity, justice, elevate are all French, and were used by the Norman aristocracy after 1066. They all connote sophistication and nobility. The words swine, cow, sheep, fight, brother, right, lift are all Anglo-Saxon, and were used by the powerless peasants after 1066. They all connote earthiness and familiarity.

There is a fun podcast "The History of English" that covers a lot of this stuff. If liked the OP, you'll like the podcast.