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.

A

 * 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."
 * 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"
 * Angeleno: from American Spanish
 * Apache: from Mexican Spanish from Yavapai 'epache meaning "people" or from Zuni apachu meaning "enemy"
 * 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."

B

 * banana: from Spanish or Portuguese banana, probably from a Wolof word, or from Arabic بأننا “ba’ nana” fingers
 * 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)
 * 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".

C

 * 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
 * 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."
 * 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.
 * 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.
 * 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."
 * 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."
 * 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.

D

 * 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).

E

 * 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.
 * enormous

F

 * 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"

G

 * 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 griego ("Greek"), in reference to the language (cf. Greek to me), and originally referring to any type of foreigner
 * guacamole: via American Spanish from Nahuatl ahuaca-molli ("avocado sauce")
 * guerrilla: from Spanish obsolete meaning "small war" or current meaning "fire-armed group" (raised out of unbalanced democracy) from guerra "war" < Gothic werra "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."
 * 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

I

 * Inca: via Spanish inca, from Quechua Inka, literally: "lord, king."
 * incommunicado: from incomunicado, without communication (in the mountains, in the jail,...), "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: 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".

K

 * 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)

L

 * 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."
 * lasso: via American English from Spanish lazo meaning "tie; or rope" ultimately from Latin laqueum, "noose, snare."
 * 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

M

 * 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-.)
 * 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"

N

 * nacho: from Nacho, 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 négros, both meaning "black.". 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".

O

 * 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"

P

 * 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.
 * 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"
 * 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;" 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."
 * poncho: from poncho, from Araucanian pontho meaning "woolen fabric." 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".

Q

 * 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)

R

 * 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

S

 * 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, modern Spanish Jerez.
 * 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".

T

 * taco: from taco, "plug" 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

V

 * vamoose: from vamos, meaning "let's go"
 * vanilla: from Spanish vainilla, diminutive of Latin vaina, from vagina meaning "pod"
 * 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".

W

 * wop: from Italian guappone, from Spanish guapo, "handsome" or "attractive".

Y

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

Z

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