List of English words of Spanish origin

This is a list of English language words whose origin can be traced to the Spanish language as "Spanish loan words". Words typical of "Mock Spanish" used in the United States are listed separately.

abaca

via Spanish abacá from Tagalog abaká

abalone

from Spanish abulón, from Ohlone aluan or Rumsen awlun.

adios

from Spanish 'adiós' meaning "goodbye" < latin ad deus "to god" (short for "a Dios seas", "a Dios seades", literally, "may (you) be (commended) to God")

adobe

From Egyptian via Arabic "Al-tub"

aficionado

from past participle of aficionar, to inspire affection, from afición affection, from Latin affection-, affectio, from afficere .

albatross

from alcatraz, see below.

Alcalde

from alcalde, magistrate.

Alcatraz

(meaning "gannet") from Arabic غطاس al-ġaţţās ("the diver")

alidade

via French, Spanish alidada and Medieval Latin alhidade from Arabic العهدة al-idada, "the revolving radius"

alligator

from el lagarto, "the lizard" < latín lacartus < lacertus.

alpaca

via Spanish, from Aymara allpaqa

aludel

from Old French alutel, via Spanish and Medieval Latin from Arabic الأثال al-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 Nahuatl amolli meaning "soap root."^[1]

amontillado

from the village of Montilla "little mount", Province of Córdoba, Spain

ancho

from Mexican Spanish (chile) ancho, "wide (chili)" < latin amplus

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 Zuni apachu meaning "enemy"^[3]

armada

"armed [fleet]" from the Spanish navy, La armada española

armadillo

from armadillo, "little armored one"

arroyo

from arroyo, "stream" < arrugium

avocado

alteration of Spanish aguacate, from Nahuatl ahuacatl.

ayahuasca

via Spanish from Quechua ayawaska meaning "soul vine."

banana

from Spanish or Portuguese banana, probably from a Wolof word,^[4] or from Arabic بأننا “ba’ nana” fingers^[5]

bandolier

from Spanish bandolero, 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"

barbeque

from barbacoa, from Spanish, taken from Caribbean Taínos barbacu, cooking set-up with wood tray at a height over fire

barracuda

from barracuda May have come from barraco, meaning overlapping tooth

barranca

from Spanish barranca or barranco, ravine

barrio

from Spanish barrio, "neighborhood", from Arabic بري barri, wild

bastinado

from bastonada, from Spanish bastón, cane

bodega

from Spanish and/or Portuguese bodega, meaning cellar < latin-greek aphothekam.

bodegón

from bodegón

bolero

from Spanish bolero

bonanza

from bonanza meaning "prosperity" < latin bonantia < bonus "good".

bonito

from Spanish bonito, meaning "beautiful" < latin bonus "good".

breeze

from brisa "cold northeast wind" or from Frisian briesen - to blow (wind)^[6]

bronco

from bronco meaning "coarse"

buckaroo

from vaquero meaning "cowboy", ultimately from Latin "vaccarium" "cowboy" (vacca "cow").

burrito

diminutive of burro, a dish originally from Northern Mexico, literally "little donkey"

burro

from burro, "donkey" < latin burricus "small horse".

caballero

from Spanish caballero meaning "knight/gentleman", from caballo, "horse", Celtic caballos "horse".

cabana

from Spanish cabaña or Portuguese cabana < latin < capanna; both meaning "cabin"

cacique

from Spanish, from Taíno cacike or Arawak kassequa, both meaning a chief

cafeteria

from cafetería, "coffee store"

calaboose

from Vulgar Latin calafodiuma "to dig a protected place" and Louisiana French calabouse, from Spanish calabozo^[7]

caldera

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

from camarilla, "small room" diminutive of cámara "room" < latin camara.

camino

from camino a path or road, from Celtic cammanos "road".

cannibal

from Spanish caníbal, alteration of caríbal, from Caribe

canoe

from Spanish canoa, from Haitian canaoua

canyon

from cañón with same meaning. Derived from caño, "a pipe, tube, gorge, tube;" ultimately from Latin canna meaning "reed."^[8]

carabao

from Spanish from Visayan language kalabaw, from Malay language kerabau.

caramba

from Spanish, meaning "heck"; expression of dread, displeasure, or disapproval, euphemism for carajo

carbonado

from carbonada, 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

from cazabe, from Taíno caçábi

caudillo

from caudillo, from Latin capitellium "head" meaning "leader"

cedilla

from cedilla, archaic spelling zedilla (little z)

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 Kuna chichab, meaning "maize" or from Nahuatl chichiatl, "fermented water."

chicle

from chicle "gum", from Nahuatl tzictli "squishy stuff" or Mayan tsicte.^[9]

chile

from Spanish chile, from Nahuatl chilli

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

from chorizo, "sausage"

churro

from churro, "fritter"

cienega or cienaga

from ciénaga, "swamp" < latin caenus "mud" and native suffix -aka, caénaka.

cigar

from Spanish cigarro meaning "fag (UK), 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 < latin coriandrum, "coriander"

coca

from Spanish, coca meaning "coke", from Quechua kuka

cockroach

from Spanish cucaracha

cocoa or cacao

from Spanish cacao, from Nahuatl cacáhuatl

cojones

from Spanish cojones < latin coleones meaning "balls, testicles", to denote courage

Colorado

from Spanish colorado < latin coloratus, red or colored

comrade

from French camarade meaning "friend", from Spanish camarada < latin camara "room", "pal, mate"

condor

from Spanish, from Quechua kuntur

conquistador

from conquistador meaning "conqueror", from conquista < latin conquisita, "conquest"

coquina

from coquina, dim. form of "concha" meaning seashell; a sedimentary rock of NE Florida

cordillera

from cordillera, "range" < cordel "cord".

corral

from corral meaning "pen, yard" from Portuguese curral meaning "pen" of unknown; perhaps ultimately from Afrikaans kraal or from Vulgar Latin currale loosely meaning "enclosure for vehicles."^[11]

corrida

a bullfight (literally: "raced")

coyote

from Spanish coyote, from Nahuatl coyotl

cowboy

from Spanish vaquero, an individual who managed cattle while mounted on horseback, from vaca, "cow", from Latin vacca

creole

from French créole, from Spanish criollo, from Portuguese crioulo, raised in the house

crimson

from Old Spanish cremesín, via Medieval Latin cremesinus from Arabic قيرميزل qirmizI, from Persian قرمز qermez kermes; ultimately from Sanskrit कृमिज krmi-ja meaning "worm-made."^[12]

crusade

blend of Middle French croisade and Spanish cruzada; both ultimately from Latin crux, crucis "cross"

cuadrilla

from cuadrilla "group of people" diminutive of cuadro "square" < latin quadrus.

cumbia

from Spanish cumbia, a popular dance (for couples) originating in Colombia.

daiquiri

from Daiquiri, a port city in eastern Cuba

dengue

from Spanish dengue meaning "fever", from Swahili dinga, "seizure"

derecho

from Spanish derecho meaning "straight" or "masculine of right side" < latin directum, a widespread and long-lived convection-induced straight-line windstorm

descamisado

from Spanish descamisado, "without a shirt" < camisa "shirt" < celtic kamisia.

desperado

from Spanish desesperado, desperate

doubloon

from Spanish doblón : meaning "two-sided" for two-headed coin ("doble" is double in Spanish < latin duplex).

El Dorado

from El Dorado, literally, "the golden one"

El Niño

from El Niño de la Navidad, literally, "the Christmas child" due to the warming of Pacific waters seemed to warm around Christmas

embarcadero

from embarcadero a boat dock, from barca "rowboat".

embargo

from Spanish embargar, to "seize" or "impound" < latin imbarricare.

escabeche

from escabeche, "pickle" < Arabic assukkabáǧ.

escopeteros

from Spanish escopetero, "musketeer", from escopeta "shotgun" < italian schioppetto.

Federales

from Federales, "federal police"

fiesta

from the Spanish fiesta meaning "party" < latin festa

Flamenco

"Spanish genre of music and dance typical of the gypsies".

Florida

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

flotilla

diminutive of flota, "fleet"

galleon

from Spanish "galeón" (a large sailing ship having three or more masts, from the 15th to 18th century)

gaucho

from Mapuche "Argentine cowboy"

gracias

from Latin expression gratias agere ("to give thanks")

gringo

probably from "green go home!" Literally "¡verdes vayanse a casa!", in reference to the invasión of army of USA to Mexico en 1846 and 1848, Since the United States Army wore green uniforms. Just to notice the correction and that this has already been proved to be a false etymology. "Gringo" was already documented in the Diccionario Castellano of Esteban Terreros y Pando in 1786, so "gringo" has nothing to do with "green go home". The most valid and accepted etymology is a deformation of "griego" that means "greek" in Spanish. So it went like this: griego > grigo > gringo

guacamole

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

guerrilla

from Spanish obsolete meaning "small war" or current meaning "fire-armed group" (raised out of unbalanced democracy) from guerra "war" < Gothic werra "war" (Spanish pronunciation: [ɡeˈriʎa])

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."

hola

Spanish greeting, equivalent to "hello"

Hispano

From Spanish hispanic. Also came from Latin Hispania, the whole Iberian peninsula (Spain and Portugal) called by Romans.

hombre

from Spanish hombre, "man" < medieval homre < latin hominis

hoosegow

from Spanish juzgado, courthouse, from juzgar < latin iudicare "to judge"

hurricane

from Spanish huracán, from Taíno hurákan; akin to Arawak kulakani, thunder

Inca

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

incommunicado

from incomunicado, without communication (in the mountains, in the jail,...), "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

via Spanish charqui, from Quechua ch'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 Taíno 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 doors)

La Niña

"The little girl", complementary weather pattern to (q.v.) El Niño

lariat

from la reata, meaning "the strap, rein, or rope" from reatar ("to tie again") from atar "to tie (up);" from Latin aparte, "to join."^[15]

lasso

via American English from Spanish lazo meaning "tie; or rope" ultimately from Latin laqueum, "noose, snare."^[16]

Latino

English short for the Spanish word latinoamericano, formed by latino "related to the Latin empire and language" and americano "from the Americas"

llama

via Spanish llama, from Quechua llama

Llanos

from Spanish llano "plain" < latin planus; vast tropical grassland plain situated to the east of the Andes in Colombia and Venezuela.

loco

from loco, "mad" or "crazy"

Lolita

from the diminutive for Lola, short for Dolores

macho

from macho "male, brave" < latin masculus, the property of being overtly masculine.

majordomo

via Spanish mayordomo or Italian maggiordomo (both meaning "butler") from Latin maior domus meaning "mayor of the place."

mano

from mano, "hand". Stone handtool

manzanilla

from Spanish manzanilla, a natural tea for some superficial pains. The word is diminutive of manzana "apple"

marijuana

from Spanish marihuana meaning cannabis.

maroon

from the Spanish cimarrón, which was derived from an Arawakan root

matador

from matador meaning "killer" from matar ("to kill") probably from Arabic مات mata meaning "he died", also possibly cognate with Persian مردن mordan, "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]

merengue

a type of music and dance originating in the Dominican Republic

mesa

from mesa, table < latin mensa. 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

from mestizo "racially mixed" < latin mixticius "mixed" or "mongrel", in Spanish, refers to a person of mixed European and Native American descent.

mojito

dim. formed from "mojado" (wet or dripping) probably referring to the mint leaves in the well known Cuban drink

mole

also from Spanish as Guacamole, from Nahuatl molle or molli ("sauce")

Montana

from montaña, a mountain

mosquito

from mosquito, literally "little fly" < mosca "fly" < latin musca.

mulatto

from Spanish or Portuguese mulato meaning "octoroon, sambo" from mulo "mule" > "hybrid". in Spanish, refers to a person of mixed European-African descent.

mustang

from mustango, mestengo, mestencoor mesteño, "without known master or owner" (archaic)

mustee

from mestizo, "racially mixed."or "mongrel"

nachos

from Nacho, a nickname for the given name Ignacio, inventor of the snack

nada

from "nada" meaning " nothing."^[18]

Negro

from Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian negro, "black", from Latin nigrum (nom. niger) and Greek νέγρος négros, both meaning "black.".^[19] In Spanish it might be derogatory (depending on intonation and facial expression on some Latin countries).

Nevada

from Nevada ("snowy") after the Sierra Nevada ("snowy mountains")

nostromo

from nuestro amo, "our master".

olé

an interjection, an expression of approval or triumph, similar to the Italian bravo (capable), by spectators of bull fights or football (soccer) matches

oregano

from orégano, "marjoram"

pachuco

from pachuco, "fancy-dresser." or "unsuitable or bad-looking attire"

paella

from Spanish paella, from Valencian paella "pan" and the dish name. Originated in Latin patella, also meaning "pan."

palmetto

from palmito, "palm heart, little palm", diminutive form of the word for palm.

pampa

via Spanish, from Quechua pampa, plain

papaya

from papaya, akin to Arawak papáia

páramo

from Spanish páramo (moorland)

patio

from patio, inner courtyard, "an open paved area adjacent to a home"

peccadillo

from pecadillo, "small sin"

peccary

from Spanish pecarí, from Carib pakira or paquira.^[20]

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

from picadillo, "hash"

pimento or pimiento

from pimiento, "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." or "birthday batting-pony game for kids"^[21]

piñon or pinyon

from piñón, "pine"

pinta

from pinta, "he/she/it paints"; also archaic Spanish for pintada, "painted"

Pinto

from pintar, "to paint"; a white horse with a coat "painted" in large patterns of any other color.

piragua

from Carib language

pisco

from pisco, "turkey"

placer mining

from placer, "sand bank" or "pleasure"

platinum

from platina, "little silver" (now platino)

playa

from playa, "beach" < latin plagea

plaza

from plaza, "public square, spot or place" < latin platea.

politico

from Spanish or Italian político 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

from poncho, from Araucanian pontho meaning "woolen fabric."^[24] or "Short of Proper name Alfonso"

potato

from Peninsular Spanish patata, itself from batata, "sweet potato", from Taíno and papa, "potato" from Quechua

potrero

from potrero, archaic term for "tongue of land"

pronto

from Spanish "soon, prompt"

pronunciamento

from pronunciamiento 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") or "Population of Country-side or outskirts".

quadroon

from cuarterón, "fourth"

quesadilla

from quesadilla 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

via Spanish quinua, from Quechua kinwa

quinceañera

from Spanish quince años, literally: "fifteen-year-old-girl"; a girl's fifteenth birthday celebration similar to a "sweet sixteen"; with special rituals in South America.

Quixotism/Quixotic

from fictional character Don Quixote as in "tilting at windmills"

quirt

from Spanish cuarta literally: "quarter"; a short horseman's whip, from "one fourth" (of a vara)

ranch

from rancho, a very small rural community, smaller than a town; also a very humble dwelling in South American Spanish.

reconquista

from reconquista, "reconquest"

remuda

from Mexican Spanish remudar, to exchange (horses)

renegade

from renegado, "turncoat, heretic, disowned"

rhumba

from rumba synomyn of Big-Party

rincon

from rincón, "meadow" or "corner-side"

robalo

from Spanish róbalo meaning "bass, sea wolf," a tropical marine game and fish food

roble

from Spanish roble, "oak tree" < latin roboris.

rodeo

from rodeo and verb rodear (to go around) or "go-after and animal"

rueda

from rueda, wheel or circle

rumba

from rumba or "farra" synomyn of Big-Party

saguaro

from saguaro, from Piman

salsa

from salsa, "sauce"

sapodilla

from zapotillo

sarabande

from French sarabande in turn from Spanish zarabanda

savanna

from sabana, "veld", from Taíno zabana

savvy

from Spanish or Portuguese sabe, "knows"; sabio, "wise, learned" < latin sapidus "with sapience".

shack

perhaps from Mexican Spanish jacal meaning "hut", from Nahuatl xacalli

sherry

from Old Spanish Xerés [ʃeˈɾes], modern Spanish Jerez [xeˈɾeθ].

sierra

from sierra, a mountain range

Sierra Nevada

literally "snowy mountains"

siesta

from siesta, "nap", from Latin Sexta [hora] "sixth hour"

silo

from silo

sombrero

from sombrero (literally, shade maker), "hat"

stampede

from estampida

stevedore

from estibador (literally, one who stuffs), "ship loader"

stockade

from a French derivation of the Spanish estocada, "stab"

suave

meaning "charming, confident, and elegant" < latin suavis "sweet".

taco

from taco, "plug"^[25] or from Portugues Bat

tamale

from Spanish tamales, pl. of tamal, from Nahuatl tamalli meaning dumpling made from corn flour

tango

from Spanish tango.

tapioca

from tapioca, "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

from tequila, from the town Tequila, where the beverage originated

telenovela or telenovella

from telenovela, "soap opera" or to some extent "TV-drama-show"

tilde

from tilde from Spanish ' symbol above some vowels

tobacco

from Spanish (Nahuatl influenced) tabaco, "snuff"

tomatillo

from Spanish tomatillo, "small tomato" (see Physalis philadelphica)

tomato

from Spanish tomate, from Nahuatl xitomatl

torero

from toro, "bull"

tornado

from Spanish tronada, "thunderstorm", influenced by tornar, "to turn"

tortilla

from tortilla, literally "small cake". In Mexico is a type of thin flatbread made of finely ground wheat flour. Now is called "omelet" in Spain

tostada (toast) and tostada (tortilla)

from tostada, "toasted"

tuna

from Spanish atún, from Arabic تون tun, from Latin thunnus, from Greek θύννος, thynnos (=tuna fish)

turista

from turista, "tourist" as either gender M/F

vamoose

from vamos, meaning "let's go"

vanilla

from Spanish vainilla, diminutive of Latin vaina, from vagina meaning "pod"^[26]

vaquero

from the Spanish word vaquero

vertigo

from the Spanish word vértigo

vicugna

via Spanish, from Quechua wik'uña

vigilante

from Spanish vigilante, meaning "watchman." < latin vigiliā "sleepless night, vigil".

wop

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

yerba buena

from Spanish yerbabuena meaning "good herb" (infused in Tea which has a Mint smell) < latin erbam bonam

Zorro

from Spanish zorro, a fox, originally "smart" (of Basque origin)

• List of Spanish words of Indigenous American Indian origin
• List of U.S. place names of Spanish origin
• List of English–Spanish interlingual homographs

For a list of words relating to with Spanish language origins, see the Spanish derivations category of words in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Montague, Artur, El elemento español en el vocabulario inglés: prolegómenos a una lista. AIH. Actas IV (1971). (in Spanish)
• Online Etymology Dictionary
• List of English words of Spanish origin