The Spanish word 'chupa', meaning 'short jacket', has an interesting journey through Arabic. It comes from Andalusi Arabic 'ǧúbba' meaning 'outer garment', which in turn derives from Classical Arabic 'ǧubbah' (جُبَّة), meaning 'loose outer garment'. This is a good example of how clothing terms can travel between cultures along with the garments themselves, as Arabic influence on Spanish fashion and language was significant during the medieval period of Islamic rule in the Iberian Peninsula. The word underwent phonetic changes typical of Arabic loanwords entering Spanish, with the Arabic 'j' sound (ǧ) becoming the Spanish 'ch' sound.

A related Spanish word is 'jubón', which also comes from the same Arabic root and refers to a close-fitting jacket worn in historical Spanish fashion. Both 'chupa' and 'jubón' preserved the basic meaning of an upper body garment from their Arabic source.

The English word 'jubbah' or 'jubba', referring to a long outer robe worn in some Islamic countries, is also derived from the same Arabic source word 'ǧubbah'. While less common in everyday English, it shows how this Arabic clothing term spread not only to Spanish but also to English through cultural contact.