The Spanish verb 'aficionar' (meaning 'to make fond of') has its roots in Latin. It begins with the Latin prefix 'ad-' meaning 'toward, to' and the verb 'facere' meaning 'to do, to make'. These combined to form the Latin verb 'afficere' meaning 'to affect or influence'. From this came the Latin noun 'affectio' meaning 'affection or disposition', which evolved into the Spanish noun 'afición' (meaning 'fondness, liking'). Finally, by adding the Spanish verb suffix '-ar' to 'afición', we get 'aficionar', literally meaning 'to make fond of' or 'to create a liking for something'.

This etymology shows how the concept evolved from the basic idea of 'doing something toward' someone or something, to affecting or influencing them, to creating a feeling of fondness or affection.

A simpler and more common related Spanish word is 'afición' (meaning 'hobby, interest, or fondness'). While 'aficionar' is the verb meaning 'to make someone fond of something', 'afición' is the noun referring to the fondness or interest itself. You might hear someone talk about their 'aficiones' (plural) when discussing their hobbies or interests.

Several common English words share the same Latin roots as 'aficionar'. The most obvious are 'affect' and 'affection', which come from the same Latin 'afficere' and 'affectio'. You can see how the meaning of emotional influence or fondness carried through to both languages. The English word 'affect' retained more of the general 'influence' meaning, while 'affection' specifically refers to feelings of fondness, similar to Spanish 'afición'.