The Spanish verb 'alejar' (meaning 'to distance' or 'to move away') has an interesting evolution from Latin roots. It comes from the Spanish adverb 'lejos' (meaning 'far'), combined with the verbal prefix 'a-' and the infinitive suffix '-ar'. The adverb 'lejos' itself derives from the Latin word 'laxius', which was the comparative form of 'laxus' meaning 'wide' or 'loose'. Over time, the concept of 'more widely' or 'more loosely' evolved to mean 'far away' in Spanish, and when turned into a verb with 'a-' and '-ar', it became 'to make far' or 'to distance'.

The most obvious related Spanish word is 'lejos' (far), which is actually the base word from which 'alejar' was formed. When you understand that 'alejar' essentially means 'to make far' or 'to make distant', the connection becomes very clear. This relationship can help you remember that 'alejar' is about creating distance or moving away from something.

English speakers might recognize a connection to the word 'lax', which comes from the same Latin root 'laxus'. While 'lax' in English retained the original meaning of 'loose' or 'not strict', its Spanish relatives 'lejos' and 'alejar' developed to express the concept of distance. You can think of something 'lax' as being loose or relaxed in its connections, while something 'alejado' (distanced) has loosened its proximity to something else.