List of English Words of Spanish Origin - P

P

pachuco

from pachuco, "fancy-dresser."

paella

from Spanish paella, from Valencian paella "pan" and originated in Latin patella, also meaning "pan."

palmetto

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

pampa

from Spanish, from Quechua pampa, plain

papaya

from japaya, 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."

pinta

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

Piragua

from the combination of Spanish words Pirámide ("pyramid") and Agua meaning "water"

pisco

from pisco, "turkey"

placer mining

from placer, "sand bank"

platinum

from platina, "little silver" (now "Platino")

playa

from playa, "beach"

plaza

from plaza, "public square, spot or place"

politico

from Spanish or Italian politico 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."

potato

from European Spanish patata, itself from batata, "sweet potato", from Taino and papa, "potato" from Quechua

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").