Spanish
Americanadjective
noun
-
the Spanish people collectively.
-
a Romance language, the language of Spain, standard also in most of Latin America except Brazil. Sp, Sp.
noun
-
the official language of Spain, Mexico, and most countries of South and Central America except Brazil: also spoken in Africa, the Far East, and elsewhere. It is the native language of approximately 200 million people throughout the world. Spanish is an Indo-European language belonging to the Romance group
-
(functioning as plural) Spaniards collectively
adjective
-
of or relating to the Spanish language or its speakers
-
of or relating to Spain or Spaniards
Usage
Plural word for Spanish The plural form of Spanish can be Spanishes. This is used to refer to different varieties of the Spanish language, as in The Spanishes of Spain and Mexico are quite different. Phrases like varieties of Spanish and Spanish dialects are probably more commonly used to refer to multiple versions of the language, but the plural Spanishes is perfectly acceptable.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of Spanish
Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; see origin at Spain, -ish 1
Compare meaning
How does spanish compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He joked about AI's limitations with an anecdote at a lunch in Madrid, where he told guests that he had asked AI before his visit what he should say to Spanish bishops.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
On a recent morning, hundreds of sun-dappled wishes shimmied in the tree leaves in at least 10 languages: English, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, German, Italian, Chinese, Persian, French and Turkish among them.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
An opinion piece in Spanish daily La Vanguardia said the pope was "making God fashionable".
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
A Broad visitor experience team member, whose first name is Ash, was especially touched by a wish written in Spanish.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
But I also feel swept away by the power of music—and I’m proud that an Afro-Cuban woman who sang in Spanish could move the hearts of so many.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
