The Spanish verb 'amenazar' (to threaten) has its roots in Latin. It developed from the Late Latin word 'minacia' meaning 'threat', which was combined with the Latin prefix 'ad-' (meaning 'to, toward'). The Late Latin 'minacia' itself came from the Latin adjective 'minax' (threatening), which derived from the verb 'minari' (to threaten). At the root of this family tree is the Latin noun 'minae', meaning 'threats' or 'projecting parts'. The modern Spanish verb was formed by adding the common Spanish verb suffix '-ar' to the noun 'amenaza' (threat).

The semantic development from Latin to Spanish is quite straightforward, as the core meaning of 'threat' or 'threatening' has remained consistent throughout its evolution. The addition of the prefix 'ad-' likely emphasized the directional aspect of making a threat toward someone.

The noun 'amenaza' (threat) is directly related to the verb 'amenazar' and is actually the base word from which the verb was formed. Spanish learners might find it helpful to learn both words together, as they share the same root and related meanings - 'amenaza' is the threat itself, while 'amenazar' is the action of making a threat.

While English doesn't have any commonly used words directly related to 'amenazar', it does have some less common words that share the same Latin root 'minari'. These include 'minacious' (threatening or menacing), 'minatory' (expressing or conveying a threat), and 'minace' (an archaic word meaning to threaten). However, English speakers might find it more useful to simply associate 'amenazar' with the common English words 'menace' and 'menacing', which, while not directly related etymologically, share similar meanings and are easier to remember.