The Spanish word 'chévere', meaning 'excellent', 'wonderful', or 'cool', has an interesting origin from African languages. It comes from the Efik/Abakuá word 'chébere', which meant 'valiant, wonderful, excellent'. The word entered Spanish through contact with African languages, particularly in the Caribbean region where there was significant African influence due to the slave trade. The pronunciation shifted slightly from 'chébere' to 'chévere', but the positive meaning remained essentially the same.

Since 'chévere' entered Spanish directly from African languages rather than through Latin or other Romance languages, there aren't many simpler or more common Spanish words that share its etymology. It stands somewhat unique in Spanish vocabulary due to its African origins.

There aren't any common English words directly related to 'chévere' since it comes from African languages and entered specifically into Spanish. However, English speakers might find it helpful to remember that 'chévere' is similar in meaning to English slang terms like 'cool' or 'awesome'.