List of English Words of Spanish Origin

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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: / Top0–9ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

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."

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"

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

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

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"

fiesta

from the Spanish fiesta meaning "party"

Florida

fromLa Florida, the flowery or plant-filled place or pascua florida, "flowery Easter."

gaucho

from Mapuche "Argentine cowboy"

guacamole

via American Spanish from Nahuatl ahuaca-molli ("avocado sauce")[13]

guerrilla

from Spanish "small war"

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

Inca

from Spanish inca, from Quechua Inka, literally: "lord, king."[14]

incommunicado

fromincomunicado, "in solitary confinement."

iguana

from Spanish iguana from Arawak iwana.

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"

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)

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

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."

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".

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"

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")

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)

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

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"

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"

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."

wop

from Italian guappone, from Spanish guapo, "handsome" or "attractive".

Zorro

from Spanish zorro, a fox, originally "smart"

Spanish Alphabet

English / Spanish / English / Spanish
A / 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 Spanish
a / 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.