The Spanish word 'caoba', meaning 'mahogany', comes directly from the Taíno word 'caoban', which meant 'mahogany tree'. Taíno was the principal language of the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean when Spanish colonizers arrived. This etymology reflects how the Spanish language adopted words for local flora from the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

Since 'caoba' comes from Taíno, a native American language, there aren't any simpler or more common Spanish words that share its etymology.

While there aren't any English words directly related to 'caoba' through common etymology, English does use the word 'mahogany' to refer to the same tree and wood. The English word has a different etymology, coming from a different indigenous American language.