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Where does the word "flotilla" come from? It comes from Spanish flota, passing through Spanish before entering English (1700s).
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Where does the word "flotilla" come from? It comes from Spanish flota, passing through Spanish before entering English (1700s).
Flotilla’s story begins in Spanish: flota meant “fleet.” Within Spanish, it grew into flotilla by medieval. A diminutive meaning "little fleet". It reached English by 1700s as flotilla. Spanish 'little fleet'; the treasure 'flota' sailed yearly from the Americas to Seville. Today, flotilla means a small fleet of ships or boats.
- Stage 1 · Spanish · medieval flota "fleet", meaning "fleet".
- Stage 2 · Spanish · medieval flotilla "a small fleet", a diminutive meaning "little fleet".
- Stage 3 · English · 1700s flotilla "a small fleet of boats or ships", Spanish 'little fleet'; the treasure 'flota' sailed yearly from the Americas to Seville.