The Spanish word 'concurso' comes from the Latin word 'concursus', meaning 'gathering' or 'meeting'. This Latin word was formed by combining two elements: the prefix 'con-' meaning 'together' and 'cursus' meaning 'course' or 'running'. The word 'cursus' itself derives from the Latin verb 'currere', which means 'to run'.

The evolution of meaning from 'running together' to 'competition' or 'gathering' makes intuitive sense - when people come together or 'run together' for an organized event, it often takes the form of a competition or organized meeting.

Several common Spanish words share this same Latin root. The word 'curso' means 'course' and comes directly from Latin 'cursus'. The verb 'correr' meaning 'to run' is related to Latin 'currere'. You might also recognize 'carrera' meaning 'race' or 'career', which shares the same running-related etymology.

Many English words are related to 'concurso' through the Latin roots 'currere' and 'cursus'. Some obvious ones include 'course', 'current' (originally referring to running water), and 'cursor' (the running/moving pointer on your screen). The word 'concourse' is particularly close, meaning a gathering place or open space where people come together - it comes from the same Latin 'concursus' as Spanish 'concurso'. Other related words include 'courier' (one who runs messages), 'corridor' (a running passage), and 'concurrent' (running together).