The Spanish word 'artículo' (meaning 'article') comes from the Latin word 'articulus', which meant 'small joint' or 'article'. The Latin 'articulus' itself was formed by combining two parts: 'artus' meaning 'joint' or 'limb', and '-culus', which was a diminutive suffix used to indicate something small. So literally, 'articulus' meant 'little joint' before it developed its more abstract meaning of 'article' that we see in Spanish today.

This semantic evolution from 'small joint' to 'article' makes sense when you think about how joints connect different parts of the body, similar to how articles (both grammatical articles and written articles) serve to connect different parts of language or text.

Some related Spanish words include 'articulación' (joint, articulation) and 'articular' (to articulate, to join), which maintain a closer connection to the original Latin meaning of a physical joint or connection.

English speakers will recognize several cognates from the same Latin root: 'article', 'articulate', and 'articulation'. Just as in Spanish, these English words preserve both the physical meaning of joints/connections ('articulation' of the knee) and the more abstract meanings related to speech and writing ('to articulate' an idea, a newspaper 'article').