Spanish

American  

[span-ish] / ˈspæn ɪʃ /

adjective

1. of or relating to Spain, its people, or their language.

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noun

1. the Spanish people collectively.

2. a Romance language, the language of Spain, standard also in most of Latin America except Brazil. Sp, Sp.

Spanish British  

/ ˈspænɪʃ /

noun

1. 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

2. (functioning as plural) Spaniards collectively

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adjective

1. of or relating to the Spanish language or its speakers

2. 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

• pro-Spanish
  adjective
• quasi-Spanish
  adjective
• anti-Spanish
  adjective
• pre-Spanish
  adjective
• half-Spanish
  adjective
• non-Spanish
  adjective
• pseudo-Spanish
  adjective

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:

• Spaniard vs. Spanish

Example Sentences

Rías Baixas, the Spanish wine-producing region best-known for Albariño, saw record high sales in the U.S. last year, its largest export market.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

He will also deliver an unprecedented address before the Spanish parliament.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

The Canaries -- Spanish islands off the coast of west Africa -- have become the main entry point for irregular migrants into Spain after long and dangerous trips from Africa.

From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026

Route 1, is known for an impressive list of cheeses, international wines chosen by an in-house sommelier and traditional Spanish dishes like bacon-wrapped chorizo-stuffed dates, garlic shrimp and three different paellas.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

I make a promise to myself that I will write a song about their journeys and will sing it in Spanish, like Celia, when I grow up.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar