Espino
/esˈpino/noun
A Spanish word for a thorny shrub or hawthorn; also used in place names and surnames.
Did you know?Espino comes from Latin spīna, the same root behind English spine, because ancient speakers saw thorns and backbones as the same hard, stabbing shape.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*spei-
“to point, prick, or be sharp”
Latin
Latin
spīna
“thorn, spine, or sharp point”
Vulgar Latin
Latin
spīnus
“thorny shrub; hawthorn”
Old Spanish
Spanish
espino
“thorn bush, especially hawthorn”
Modern English
English
espino
“borrowed Spanish word, chiefly used as a proper name or in botanical contexts”