The Spanish verb 'concursar' (meaning 'to compete') comes from the Latin word 'concursare', which meant 'to run together'. This Latin word was formed by combining two elements: the prefix 'con-' meaning 'together' and the verb 'cursare' meaning 'to run'. The evolution from 'running together' to 'competing' is quite intuitive, as many competitions, especially in ancient times, involved people literally running against each other.

Several common Spanish words share this etymology. The noun 'curso' (course) and the verb 'correr' (to run) both derive from the same Latin root 'cursare'. You might also recognize 'concurso' (contest or competition), which is directly related to 'concursar'. Another related word is 'concurrencia' (attendance, gathering), which reflects the original idea of 'coming together'.

Many English words share this Latin ancestry. The word 'course' (as in race course or golf course) comes from the same Latin 'cursare'. Other related English words include 'concourse' (a large open space where people gather), 'cursor' (originally meaning 'runner', now the moving pointer on a computer screen), and 'concurrent' (happening at the same time, literally 'running together'). The word 'discourse' also shares this root, meaning a 'running back and forth' of ideas in a conversation.