The Spanish word 'alumnado' (meaning 'student body') comes from combining the word 'alumno' ('student') with the suffix '-ado', which forms collective nouns in Spanish. The word 'alumno' itself comes from Latin 'alumnus' meaning 'pupil' or 'disciple', which in turn derives from the Latin verb 'alere' meaning 'to nourish' or 'feed'. This etymology reflects how students were seen as those who were being nourished - both literally and intellectually - by their teachers.

A simpler and more common related Spanish word is 'alumno' (student), which is the base word from which 'alumnado' is formed. While 'alumno' refers to an individual student, 'alumnado' refers to the entire student body or student population collectively.

The English word 'alumnus' (plural 'alumni') is directly related to the Spanish 'alumnado', as both come from the same Latin root 'alumnus'. In English, we typically use 'alumnus' to refer specifically to a graduate or former student of a school, college, or university, while the plural 'alumni' is commonly used to refer to a group of graduates. This shows how the same Latin root evolved slightly differently in English and Spanish, with Spanish using it for current students and English using it for graduates.