Spelling Words from Spanish

Spanish words entered the English vocabulary through three different key sources – Through trade across the oceans, through the southwest of America, and through food.

Trade between England and America with Spain took place over the course of many years and with a wide variety of goods. However, there was one particular good that although was not on the trade list, still managed to find its way on to the shores of these two English speaking countries – the Spanish vocabulary. To be specific, a set of Spanish words found their way to England and America thanks to the trade that took place between them.

Latin America also inspired the adaptation of multiple Spanish words into the English vocabulary. People, especially those living in the South of the United States of America (USA), brought these words to light among the English speaking natives. Apart from that, pop culture also played a vital role in this regard. Movies that portray the Wild West or are about cowboys deserve a lot of credit for this.

The last method of transport these Spanish words have used to enter the English vocabulary is food. From burritos to tortillas, some of the most amazing delicacies come from a Spanish origin and hence, their names have forever been inducted into the English language.

Now that we are familiar with how Spanish words got into the English language in the first place, it is time to work our way through some of the Spanish words you might encounter at the next spelling bee.

Spelling competitions are known for using words that come from different countries. Hence, you cannot skip this Spanish words list. We at Spelling Bee Ninja have prepared this list of Spanish words to prepare you for the upcoming spelling bee competition.

Table of Contents

Spanish Words

Adios	Conquistador	Mesa
Alamo	Cordovan	Novillero
Alligator	Desperado	Olio
Amarillo	Diablo	Oregano
Anchovy	Duenna	Peccadillo
Argentine	Embarcadero	Picaresque
Barrio	Embargo	Pochismo
Bolero	Empanada	Pueblo
Bolivar	Enchilada	Punctilio
Bonanza	Fandango	Quesadilla
Bongo	Fiesta	Ramada
Buffalo	Filibuster	Rasgado
Burrito	Flamenco	Rejoneador
Caballero	Flotilla	Renegade
Cabana	Gazpacho	Sarsaparilla
Cafeteria	Gordita	Sassafras
Canasta	Hacienda	Sierra
Castanets	Junco	Sombrero
Cedilla	Junta	Tomatillo
Chalupa	Langosta	Tornado
Chimichanga	Lariat	Tortilla
Chinchilla	Machismo	Vanilla
Cilantro	Mantilla	Vaquero
Comandante	Mariachi	Vigilante

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Some Spanish Words Definitions

Adios	Goodbye
Alamo	Spanish word for “poplar tree”
Amarillo	Yellow
Barrio	Neighborhood
Bolero	A Spanish dance, or the lively music which accompanies it.
Bolivar	The basic monetary unit of Venezuela, equal to 100 centimos.
Bonanza	In mining, a rich mine or vein of silver or gold; hence, anything which is a mine of wealth or yields a large income.
Bongo	Each of a joined pair of small deep-bodied drums, typically held between the knees and played with the fingers.
Burrito	A Mexican dish consisting of a tortilla rolled round a savoury filling, typically of minced beef or beans
Caballero	A Spanish gentleman
Cabana	A hut, cabin, or shelter at a beach or swimming pool.
Cafeteria	A restaurant in which customers serve themselves from a counter and pay before eating.
Canasta	A card game resembling rummy, using two packs. It is usually played by two pairs of partners, and the aim is to collect sets (or melds) of cards.
Cedilla	A mark placed under the letter c [thus, c], to show that it is to be sounded like s, as in facade.
Chalupa	A fried tortilla in the shape of a boat, with a spicy filling.
Chimichanga	A tortilla wrapped round a filling, typically of meat, and deep-fried.
Chinchilla	A small rodent (Chinchilla lanigera), of the size of a large squirrel, remarkable for its fine fur, which is very soft and of a pearly gray color. It is a native of Peru and Chili. – The fur of the chinchilla. – A heavy, long-napped, tufted woolen cloth.
Cilantro	Coriander used as a seasoning or garnish.
Comandante	An officer who has the command of a place or of a body of troops
Conquistador	A conqueror, especially one of the Spanish conquerors of Mexico and Peru in the 16th century.
Cordovan	Same as Cordwain. In England the name is applied to leather made from horsehide.
Desperado	A reckless, furious man; a person urged by furious passions, and regardless of consequence; a wild ruffian.
Diablo	Spanish word meaning
Embarcadero	A pier, wharf, or landing place, especially on a river or inland waterway.
Empanada	A Spanish or Latin American pastry turnover filled with a variety of savoury ingredients and baked or fried.
Enchilada	A tortilla served with chilli sauce and a filling of meat or cheese.
Fandango	A lively dance, in 3-8 or 6-8 time, much practiced in Spain and Spanish America. Also, the tune to which it is danced. – A ball or general dance, as in Mexico.
Fiesta	An event marked by festivities or celebration.
Flamenco	A style of Spanish music, played especially on the guitar and accompanied by singing and dancing.
Flotilla	A little fleet, or a fleet of small vessels.
Gazpacho	A cold Spanish soup made from tomatoes, peppers, and other salad vegetables.
Gordita	(in Mexican cooking) a thick pancake made from maize flour, typically split and filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables.
Junco	Any bird of the genus Junco, which includes several species of North American finches; — called also snowbird, or blue snowbird.
Junta	A council; a convention; a tribunal; an assembly; esp., the grand council of state in Spain.
Langosta	Check langouste.
Machismo	Strong or aggressive masculine pride.
Mantilla	A lady’s light cloak of cape of silk, velvet, lace, or the like. – A kind of veil, covering the head and falling down upon the shoulders; — worn in Spain, Mexico, etc.
Mariachi	Denoting a type of traditional Mexican folk music, performed by a small group of strolling musicians.
Mesa	A high tableland; a plateau on a hill.
Novillero	An aspiring bullfighter who has not yet attained the rank of matador.
Olio	A dish of stewed meat of different kinds. – A mixture; a medley. – A collection of miscellaneous pieces.
Oregano	An aromatic Eurasian plant related to marjoram, with small purple flowers and leaves used as a culinary herb.
Peccadillo	A slight trespass or offense; a petty crime or fault.
Picaresque	Applied to that class of literature in which the principal personage is the Spanish picaro, meaning a rascal, a knave, a rogue, an adventurer.
Pochismo	A term of U.S. origin borrowed into Mexican Spanish and used along the border between the U.S. and Mexico especially by U.S.-born Mexicans
Punctilio	A nice point of exactness in conduct, ceremony, or proceeding; particularity or exactness in forms; as, the punctilios of a public ceremony.
Quesadilla	A tortilla filled with cheese and heated.
Ramada	An arbor or porch.
Rasgado	Torn
Rejoneador	The mounted man who thrusts a rejon into the shoulder muscles of the bull in bullfighting.
Renegade	One faithless to principle or party. – An apostate from Christianity or from any form of religious faith. – One who deserts from a military or naval post; a deserter. – A common vagabond; a worthless or wicked fellow.
Sarsaparilla	Any plant of several tropical American species of Smilax. – The bitter mucilaginous roots of such plants, used in medicine and in sirups for soda, etc.
Sassafras	An American tree of the Laurel family (Sassafras officinale); also, the bark of the roots, which has an aromatic smell and taste.
Sierra	A ridge of mountain and craggy rocks, with a serrated or irregular outline; as, the Sierra Nevada.
Sombrero	A kind of broad-brimmed hat, worn in Spain and in Spanish America.
Tomatillo	An edible purple or yellow fruit which is chiefly used for sauces and preserves.
Tortilla	An unleavened cake, as of maize flour, baked on a heated iron or stone.
Vaquero	One who has charge of cattle, horses, etc.; a herdsman.