The Spanish verb 'atrever' (to dare) comes from Latin 'attribuere' meaning 'to attribute.' The Latin word was formed by combining the prefix 'ad-' (meaning 'toward') with the verb 'tribuere' (meaning 'to attribute or assign'). Over time, the meaning evolved from attribution or assignment to taking on responsibility or risk, eventually leading to the modern Spanish meaning of daring to do something.

A related Spanish word is 'atribuir' (to attribute), which maintains a meaning closer to the original Latin 'attribuere'. While 'atrever' developed to mean taking a risk or daring to do something, 'atribuir' kept the sense of assigning or attributing something to someone.

English speakers might recognize the connection to words like 'attribute' and 'tribute', which come from the same Latin root 'tribuere'. While 'attribute' maintains the meaning of assigning qualities or characteristics to something, and 'tribute' refers to something given in recognition or praise, the Spanish 'atrever' took a different semantic path to mean 'to dare'.