The Spanish word 'alacrán' (meaning 'scorpion') comes from Andalusi Arabic 'al'aqrab', which literally meant 'the scorpion'. This Arabic term was a combination of the definite article 'al-' ('the') and the word 'ʕaqrab' ('scorpion'). This is one of many Spanish words that retained the Arabic article 'al-' as part of the word itself, a common feature in Spanish words borrowed from Arabic during the centuries of Muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula.

Unlike some other Arabic loanwords in Spanish, 'alacrán' doesn't have many related simpler Spanish words, as it was borrowed as a complete unit and remained relatively isolated in Spanish vocabulary.

While English doesn't have any common words directly related to 'alacrán', it's worth noting that the scientific name for the scorpion order, 'Scorpiones', comes from a different etymological root entirely. The Arabic root that gave us 'alacrán' has influenced some scientific terminology related to scorpions, but these terms are primarily used in specialized contexts.