The only free and comprehensive online etymological dictionary of the Spanish language

Word of the Day

robot m. (Noun) "robot"
Borrowed from English robot. Coined in 1920 by Karel Čapek in R.U.R., a science fiction play about a rebellion of subservient synthetic humans (called roboti) against their human masters. R.U.R. was well-recieved and popular in the United States and Europe. The name robot was taken from Czech robota "work," "slavery." From Proto-Slavic *orbòta "slavery." From Proto-Indo-European *h3orbh-o- "forced labor." The meaning of forced labor is a late one, an extension from the labor that captives are forced to do. Originally it meant the slave or captive themselves (lit. "separated (from the community)"), and came from a root *h3orbh- meaning "separated."
Derksen, R. Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon. BRILL. 2014.
Real Academia Española. Diccionario de la lengua española. Online. 23rd ed. Madrid: Espasa Calpa. 2014. http://www.rae.es/.

12 August 2019 - Update 3.92

Final updates in preparation for a particularly large data update coming at the end of the month.

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The Online Etymological Dictionary of Spanish is a free etymological dictionary of the Spanish language launched on August 6, 2016. An etymology is not a definition but a history of a word over time. This site provides an account of the development of the Spanish language as best as historical linguists are able to ascertain in a way that is accessible both by laymen and academics. If you enjoy using this dictionary, please consider donating to help keep this site alive.