The Spanish verb 'alzar' (meaning 'to raise') comes from the Latin verb 'altiare', which also meant 'to raise'. 'Altiare' itself was derived from the Latin adjective 'altus' meaning 'high'. The modern Spanish infinitive ending '-ar' was added to complete the verb formation. Over time, the Latin 't' sound in 'altiare' evolved into a 'z' sound in Spanish, giving us the modern form 'alzar'.

Several common Spanish words share this Latin root 'altus', including 'alto' (meaning 'high' or 'tall'), 'altura' (meaning 'height'), and 'altitud' (meaning 'altitude'). These words maintain a clear connection to the original Latin meaning of 'high', while 'alzar' developed to specifically refer to the action of raising something.

English speakers might recognize this Latin root in words like 'altitude', 'altimeter', and 'alto' (as in music). All these words share the same Latin ancestor 'altus' meaning 'high'. While the Spanish 'alzar' developed to mean the action of raising something, the English words retained more of a connection to the concept of height or elevation.