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List of English words of Spanish origin
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This is a list of English language words whose origin can be traced to the Spanish language as "Spanish loan words". Many of them are identical in other Romance languages (mainly Portuguese or Italian), but their passage into English is believed to be through Spanish.
Most these words came to English from Castilian and American Spanish dialects, which in turn got them from various sources including English ("turista").
However many of the words contained in the list are not used by native English speakers today. For example native English speakers use the term 'goodbye' rather than 'adios' as incorrectly stated below.
Contents: / Top0–9ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZA
abaca
via Spanish abacá from Tagalogabaká
abalone
from Spanish abulón, from Ohlonealuan or Rumsenawlun.
adios
from Spanish 'adiós' meaning "goodbye"
adobe
From Egyptian via Arabic "Al-tub"
aficionado
from French 'amateur' "unprofessional person" or "affection" too.
albatross
fromalcatraz, see below.
Alcatraz
(meaning "gannet") from Arabic غطاس al-ġaţţās ("the diver")
alidade
via French, Spanish alidada and Medieval Latinalhidade from Arabic العهدةal-idada, "the revolving radius"
alligator
fromel lagarto, "the lizard"
alpaca
from Spanish, from Aymaraallpaka/allpaqa
aludel
fromOld Frenchalutel, via Spanish and Medieval Latin from Arabic الأثالal-ʾuṯāl, "the sublimation vessel"
amigo
from Spanish and/or Portuguese amigo, "friend"; from Latin amicus meaning "friend," derived from amare (to love).
amole
Mexican Spanish from Nahautl amolli meaning "soap root."[1]
amontillado
from the village of Montilla, Province of Córdoba, Spain
ancho
from Mexican Spanish (chile) ancho, "wide (chili)"
anchovy
from Spanish anchoa or more probably Portuguese anchova meaning "bluefish"; from Genoese or Corsican dialect; ultimately from Latin apua meaning "small fish" and Greek Αφυε aphye meaning "small fry" or from Basque anchuva meaning "dry"[2]
Angeleno
from American Spanish
Apache
from Mexican Spanish from Yavapai´epache meaning "people" or from Zuniapachu" meaning "enemy"[3]
armada
"armed [fleet]" from the Spanish navy, La armada española
armadillo
fromarmadillo, "little armored one"
arroyo
fromarroyo, "stream"
avocado
alteration of Spanish aguacate, from Nahuatl ahuacatl which also means "testicle" in that language.
ayahuasca
via Spanish from Quechuaayawaska meaning "soul vine."
B
banana
from Spanish or Portuguesebanana, probably from a Wolof word,[4] or from Arabic بأننا“ba’ nana” fingers[5]
bandolier
from Spanish bandolera, meaning "band (for a weapon or other) that crosses from one shoulder to the opposite hip" and bandolero, loosely meaning "he who wears a bandolier"
barbecue
from the Chibcha word barbacoa
barracuda
frombarracuda May have come from barraco, meaning overlapping tooth
barranca
from Spanish barranca or barranco, ravine
barrio
from Spanish barrio, "neighborhood", from Arabic بريbarri, wild
bastinado
frombastonada, from Spanish bastón, cane
bodega
from Spanish and/or Portuguese bodega, meaning cellar
bolero
from Spanish bolero
bonanza
frombonanza meaning "prosperity"
bonito
from Spanish bonito, meaning "beautiful"
breeze
frombrisa "cold northeast wind" or from Frisian briesen - to blow (wind)[6]
bronco
frombronco meaning "coarse"
buckaroo
fromvaquero meaning "cowboy"
burrito
fromburrito, a dish originally from Northern Mexico, literally "little donkey"
burro
fromburro, "donkey"
C
caballero
from Spanish caballero meaning "knight/gentleman", from caballo, "horse", celtic caballos "horse".
cabana
from Spanish cabaña or Portuguese cabana; both meaning "cabin."
cacique
from Spanish, from Taino cacike or Arawakkassequa, both meaning a chief
cafeteria
fromcafetería, "coffee store"
calaboose
fromVulgar Latincalafodium "to dig a protected place" and LouisianaFrenchcalabouse, from Spanish calabozo[7]
caldera (used in geology)
from Spanish caldera meaning "cauldron" from Latin caldaria, "cooking pot."
California
place name first seen in print in 1510 Spanish novel 'Las sergas de Esplandián' by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo
camarilla
fromcamarilla, "small room"
camino
fromcamino a path or road, from Celtic cammanos "road".
cannibal
from Spanish caníbal, alteration of caríbal, from Caribe
canoe
from Spanish canoa, from Haitiancanaoua
canyon
fromcañón meaning "a pipe, tube, gorge" from cano, "tube;" ultimately from Latin canna meaning "reed."[8]
carabao
from Spanish from Visayan languagekalabaw, from Malay languagekerabau.
caramba
from Spanish, meaning "heck"; expression of dread, displeasure, or disapproval, euphemism for carajo
carbonado
fromcarbonada, from carbón meaning "coal"
cargo
from the verb cargar meaning "to load"
Caribbean
from Spanish Caribe, from name of Carib Indians of the region.
cassava
fromcazabe, from Taino caçábi
caudillo
fromcaudillo, from Latin capitellium "head" meaning "leader"
cedilla
fromcedilla, archaic spelling zedilla (little z), "elsewhere"
chaparral
from Spanish, chaparro loosely meaning small evergreen oak, from Basque txapar, "small, short"
chaps
from Mexican Spanish chaparreras, leg protectors for riding through chaparral
chayote
from Spanish, literally: "squash", from Nahuatl chayotl meaning "spiny squash"
chicha
from Spanish chicha, from Kunachichab, meaning "maize" or from Nahuatl chichiatl, "fermented water."
chicle
fromchicle "gum", from Nahuatl tzictli "squishy stuff" or Mayantsicte.[9]
chile
from Spanish chile, from Nahuatlchilli
chipotle
from Spanish, smoked jalapeño, from Nahuatl chilpoctli
chocolate
from Spanish chocolate, from Nahuatl xocolatl meaning "hot water" or from a combination of the Mayan word chocol meaning "hot" and the Nahuatl word atl meaning "water."
Choctaw
from the native name Chahta of unknown meaning but also said to come from Spanish chato (="flattened") because of the tribe's custom of flattening the heads of male infants.[10]
chorizo
fromchorizo, "saussage"
churro
fromchurro, "fritter"
cigar
from Spanish cigarro meaning "fag, stogie, stogy", from Mayan sicar or sic, "tobacco"
cigarette
from French cigarette "little weed", diminutive of French cigare "stogie", from Spanish cigarro meaning "fag (UK), stogie, stogy."
cilantro
from Spanish cilantro, "coriander"
coca
from Spanish, coca meaning "coke", from Quechuakúka
cockroach
from Spanish cucaracha
cocoa or cacao
from Spanish cacao, from Nahuatl cacáhuatl
cojones
from Spanish cojones meaning "balls, testicles", to denote courage
Colorado
from Spanish colorado, red or colored
comrade
from French camarade meaning "friend", from Spanish camarada, "pal, mate"
condor
from Spanish, from Quechua cuntur
conquistador
fromconquistador meaning "conqueror", from conquista, "conquest"
coquina
fromcoquina, dim. form of "concha" meaning seashell; a sedimentary rock of NE Florida
cordillera
fromcordillera, "range"
corral
fromcorral meaning "pen, yard" from Portuguese curral meaning "pen" of unknown; perhaps ultimately from Afrikaanskraal or from Vulgar Latin currale loosely meaning "enclosure for vehicles."[11]
corrida
abullfight (literally: "race")
coyote
from Spanish coyote, from Nahuatl coyotl
creole
from French créole, from Spanish criollo, from Portuguese crioulo, raised in the house
crimson
from Old Spanish cremesín, via Medieval Latincremesinus from Arabic قيرميزلqirmizI, from Persianقرمزqermez kermes; ultimately from Sanskritकृमिजkrmi-ja meaning "worm-made."[12]
crusade
blend of Middle Frenchcroisade and Spanish cruzada; both ultimately from Latin cruc-, crux cross
cumbia
from Spanish cumbia, a popular dance (for couples) originating in Colombia, Panama and Argentina
D
daiquiri
fromDaiquiri, a port city in eastern Cuba
dengue
from Spanish dengue meaning "fever", from Swahilidinga, "seizure"
derecho
from Spanish derecho meaning "straight", a widespread and long-lived convection-induced straight-line windstorm
desperado
from Spanish desesperado, desperate
E
El Dorado
fromEl Dorado, literally, "the golden one"
El Niño
fromEl Niño de la Navidad, literally, "the Christmas child" due to the warming of Pacific waters seemed to warm around Christmas
embarcadero
fromembarcadero a boat dock
embargo
from Spanish embargar, to "seize" or "impound"
escabeche
fromescabeche, "pickle"
F
fiesta
from the Spanish fiesta meaning "party"
Florida
fromLa Florida, the flowery or plant-filled place or pascua florida, "flowery Easter."
G
gaucho
from Mapuche "Argentine cowboy"
guacamole
via American Spanish from Nahuatl ahuaca-molli ("avocado sauce")[13]
guerrilla
from Spanish "small war"
H
habanero
from the Spanish for the name of the Cuban city of La Habana, which is known as Havana in English. Although it is not the place of origin, it was frequently traded there.
hacienda
from Old Spanish facienda, "estate"
hackamore
from Spanish jaquima, "halter."
hombre
from Spanish "hombre", man
hoosegow
from Spanish juzgado, courthouse, from juzgar, to judge
hurricane
from Spanish huracán, from Taino hurákan; akin to Arawak kulakani, thunder
I
Inca
from Spanish inca, from Quechua Inka, literally: "lord, king."[14]
incommunicado
fromincomunicado, "in solitary confinement."
iguana
from Spanish iguana from Arawak iwana.
J
jade
from Spanish piedra de ijada, "stone of flank."
jalapeño
from Spanish, a type of spicy chilli named after Jalapa de Enríquez, a town in Mexico, and the capital of the state of Veracruz
jerky
from Spanish charqui, from Quechuach'arki, "dried flesh"
junta
from Spanish junta literally "joint"; a board of joint administration; sometimes used to refer to military officers command in a coup d'état. As an adjective, it means "together"
K
key
from Spanish cayo, from Taino cayo (this is English 'key'/'cay'/'quay' as in an island, reef or a linked series of them, not the 'key' with which one locks/unlocks)
L
Llanos, Los
from Spanish llano (plain); vast tropical grassland plain situated to the east of the Andes in Colombia and Venezuela.
lariat
fromla reata, meaning "the strap, rein, or rope" from reatar ("to tie again") from atar "to tie (up);" from Latin aparte, "to join."[15]
lasso
viaAmerican English from Spanish lazo meaning "tie;" ultimately from Latin laqueum, "noose, snare."[16]
llama
from Spanish llama, from Quechua llama
loco
fromloco, "mad" or "crazy"
Lolita
from the diminutive for Lola, short for Dolores
M
macho
frommacho, male, brave, the property of being overtly masculine. In Spanish is masculinity
majordomo
via Spanish mayordomo or Italian maggiordomo (both meaning "butller") from Latin maior domus meaning "mayor of the place."
matador
from matador meaning "killer" from matar ("to kill") probably from Arabic ماتmata meaning "he died", also possibly cognate with Persian مردنmordan, "to die" as well as English "murder." Another theory is that the word "matador" is derived from a combination of the Vulgar Latin mattāre, from Late Latin mactare (to slaughter, kill) and the Latin -tor (which is cognate with Greek τορ -tōr and Sanskrit तर-tar-.)[17]
mesa
frommesa, table. The corresponding Spanish word to a flat top mountain is meseta
mescal
from Spanish mezcal, from Nahuatl mexcalli
mesquite
from Mexican Spanish mezquite, from Nahuatl mizquitl
mestizo
frommestizo, "racially mixed." in Spanish, refers to a person of mixed European-native American descent
mojito
dim. formed from "mojado" (wet or dripping) probably referring to the mint leaves in the well known Cuban drink
mole
from Spanish, from Nahuatl molle or molli ("sauce")
Montana
frommontaña, a mountain
mosquito
frommosquito, literally "little fly"
mulatto
from Spanish or Portuguese mulato meaning "octoroon, sambo". in Spanish, refers to a person of mixed European-African descent. it is not derogatory
mustang
frommestengo or mesteño, "without known master or owner" (archaic)
mustee
frommestizo, "racially mixed."
N
nacho
fromNacho, a nickname for the given name Ignacio, inventor of the snack
nada
from "Nada" meaning " nothing."
negro
from Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian negro, "black", from Latin Nigrum (nom. Niger) and Greek Νέγρος Negros, both meaning "black.".[18] In Spanish it is not derogatory.
Nevada
fromNevada literally "snowy"
nostromo
fromnuestro amo, "our master".
O
olé
an interjection, an expression of approval or triumph, similar to the Italianbravo (capable), by spectators of bull fights or football (soccer) matches
oregano
fromorégano, "marjoram"
P
pachuco
frompachuco, "fancy-dresser."
paella
from Spanish paella, from Valencianpaella "pan" and originated in Latin patella, also meaning "pan."
palmetto
frompalmito, "palm heart, little palm", diminutive form of the word for palm.
pampa
from Spanish, from Quechua pampa, plain
papaya
fromjapaya, akin to Arawak papáia
páramo
from Spanish páramo (moorland)
patio
frompatio, inner courtyard, "an open paved area adjacent to a home"
peccadillo
frompecadillo, "small sin"
peccary
from Spanish pecarí, from Caribpakira or paquira.[19]
peon
from Spanish peón ("laborer")
peyote
from Spanish, from Nahuatl peyotl ("caterpillar")
Philippines
via Spanish Filipinas from Latin Philippinae, "islands of king Philip II of Spain"; ultimately from Greek Φιλιππίναι Philippinai from the Greek phrase Φίλος ίππος Νησιά Fílos Íppos Ni̱sí, "Islands of the Horse Friend."
piccadill
frompicadillo, "hash"
pimento or pimiento
frompimiento, "pepper."
piña colada
from Spanish piña (pineapple), and colada, which means strained, from the Spanish verb colar ("to strain")
piñata
from piñata ("jug, pot") from Latin pinea, "pine cone."[20]
pinta
frompinta, "he/she/it paints"; also archaic Spanish for pintada, "painted"
Piragua
from the combination of Spanish words Pirámide ("pyramid") and Agua meaning "water"[21]
pisco
frompisco, "turkey"from placer, "sand bank"
placer mining
platinum
fromplatina, "little silver" (now "Platino")
playa
fromplaya, "beach"
plaza
fromplaza, "public square, spot or place"
politico
from Spanish or Italian politico meaning "politician, political agent;"[22] ultimately from Latin politicus meaning "of citizens or the state, civil, civic," from Greek πολιτικός (Ancient Greek: πολῑτικός) politikos, "of citizens or the state," from πολίτης (plural: πολίτες) polites (citizen) from πόλις polis, "city."[23]
poncho
fromponcho, from Araucanian pontho meaning "woolen fabric."[24]
potato
from European Spanish patata, itself from batata, "sweet potato", from Taino and papa, "potato" from Quechua
pronto
from Spanish "soon, prompt"
pronunciamento
frompronunciamiento proclamation, "military coup d'état", usually establishing a military dictatorship (often a junta)
puma
from Spanish "cougar, panther", from Quechua
pueblo
via Castilian pueblo from Latin populus ("people")
Q
quadroon
fromcuarterón, "fourth"
quesadilla
fromquesadilla loosely meaning a traditional Mexican dish made with tortillas and cheese, diminutive of "queso", cheese.
Quetzal
from Spanish, from Nahuatl "quetzalli": a group of colourful birds of the trogon family found in tropical regions of the Americas. It also may refer to Guatemalan quetzal, the currency of Guatemala.
quinoa
from Spanish quinua, from Quechua kinua
Quinceañera
From Spanish Quince años, literally: "fifteen years"; a girl's fifteenth birthday celebration similar to a sweet sixteen; with special rituals
quirt
from Spanish cuarta literally: "quarter"; a short horseman's whip, from "one fourth" (of a vara)
R
ranch
fromrancho, a very small rural community, smaller than a town; also a very humble dwelling in South America.
reconquista
fromreconquista, "reconquest"
remuda
from Mexican Spanish remudar, to exchange (horses)
renegade
fromrenegado, "turncoat, heretic, disowned"
robalo
from Spanish róbalo meaning "bass, sea wolf," a tropical marine game and fish food
roble
from Spanish roble, oak tree
rodeo
fromrodeo and verb rodear (to go around)
rumba
fromrumba
S
saguaro
fromsaguaro, from Piman
salsa
fromsalsa, "sauce"
sapodilla
fromzapotillo
sarabande
from French sarabande in turn from Spanish zarabanda
savanna
fromsabana, "veld", from Taino zabana
savvy
from Spanish or Portuguese sabe, "knows"; sabio, wise, learned.
shack
perhaps from Mexican Spanish jacal meaning "hut", from Nahuatl xacalli
sherry
from Old Spanish Xerés[ʃeˈɾes], modern Spanish Jerez[xeˈɾeθ].
Sierra
fromsierra, a mountain range
siesta
fromsiesta, "nap", from Latin Sexta [hora] "sixth hour"
silo
fromsilo
sombrero
fromsombrero (literally, shade maker), "hat"
stampede
fromestampida
stockade
from a French derivation of the Spanish estocada, "stab"
T
taco
fromtaco, "plug"[25]
tamale
from Spanish tamales, pl. of tamal, from Nahuatl tamalli meaning dumpling made from corn flour
tango
from Spanish tango.
tapioca
fromtapioca, "cassava"
ten-gallon hat
from Spanish tan galán meaning "so gallant (looking)"; alternate theory is the gallon of Texas English here is a misunderstanding of galón meaning braid
temblor
Spanish for trembling, or earthquake; from temblar, to shake, from Vulgar Latin *tremulāre, from Latin tremulus
tequila
fromtequila
telenovela, or telenovella
fromtelenovela, "soap opera"
tilde
fromtilde
tobacco
from Spanish (Nahuatl influenced) tabaco, "snuff", .
tomatillo
from Spanish tomatillo, "small tomate" (see Physalis philadelphica)
tomato
from Spanish tomate, from Nahuatl xitomatl
torero
fromtoro, "bull"
tornado
from Spanish tronada, "thunderstorm", influenced by tornar, "to turn"
tortilla
fromtortilla, "little cake". Currently means "omelet" in Spain; in Spanish America = small cake of either corn meal or wheat flour
tuna
from Spanish atún, from Arabic تونtun, from Latinthunnus, from Greek θύννος, thynnos (=tuna fish)
turista
fromturista, "tourist"
V
vamoose
fromvamos, meaning "let's go"
vanilla
from Spanish vainilla, diminutive of Latin vaina, from vagina meaning "pod"[26]
Vertigo from the Spanish word Vertigo
vicuña
from Spanish, from Quechua wikunna
vigilante
from Spanish vigilante, meaning "watchman."
W
wop
from Italian guappone, from Spanish guapo, "handsome" or "attractive".
Z
Zorro
from Spanish zorro, a fox, originally "smart"
Spanish Alphabet
English / Spanish / English / SpanishA / A / N / N
B / B / ñ / ñ
C / C / O / O
Ch / Ch / P / P
D / D / Q / Q
E / E / R / R
F / F / Rr / rr
G / G / S / S
H / H / T / T
I / I / U / U
J / J / V / V
K / K / W / W
L / L / X / X
Ll / Ll / Y / Y
M / M / Z / Z
Spanish Alphabet 2
Letter / Sound in Spanisha / father
b / boy, sometimes is softer sound like the letter v
c / cow, in Spain it has th sound before e or i
ch / choose
d / dog
e / purée
f / frog
g / go, but can also sound like an h at the beginning of a word or after n
for example, gigante is pronounced hee-gahn-teh
h / silent
i / ee sound in street
j / thick h sound in hello
k / kit
l / long
ll / y sound in year
m / Monkey
n / nose
ñ / longer sound held with tongue, like in onion
o / open
p / pan
q / k sound in kit, always followed by silent u
r / combine D and L sounds
rr / r sound is trilled with tip of the tongue
s / sing
t / time
u / ou sound in you or too
v / pronounced like B, sometimes slightly harder
w / wallet, rarely used
x / exit, or sh sound in show
y / yellow, rarely used- ll is more common
z / pronounced like S, in Spain it sounds like the th in thick
Note: There are NO silent vowels. This makes it fairly simple, just make sure to pronounce the double vowel sounds like fuego, invierno, or río. If a letter has an accent mark over it, than it receives the stress.