The Spanish verb 'copar' (meaning 'to corner' or 'to monopolize') has an interesting journey from ancient Greek through Latin and French. It begins with the Greek word 'κόλαφος' (kolaphos), which meant 'a slap' or 'blow to the cheek.' This word was borrowed into Latin as 'colaphus' meaning 'blow' or 'punch', which evolved in Vulgar Latin to 'colpus', maintaining the meaning of 'blow.'

The word then made its way into French as 'coup' (still meaning 'blow' or 'strike') and developed into the verb 'couper' meaning 'to cut.' Finally, it entered Spanish as 'copar', where the meaning shifted metaphorically from the physical action of cutting or striking to the more abstract notion of 'cornering' or 'monopolizing' - essentially 'cutting off' other options or competition.

A related Spanish word is 'golpe', which also comes from the Vulgar Latin 'colpus' and retains the original meaning of 'blow' or 'strike.' Another related term is 'golpear' meaning 'to hit' or 'to strike.' These words maintain a closer connection to the original physical meaning of the etymology.

English speakers might recognize this etymology in words borrowed from French, such as 'coup' (as in 'coup d'état'), 'coupé' (a type of car, literally 'cut'), and 'coupon' (something to be 'cut out'). These all share the same ancestral connection to the idea of striking or cutting. The word 'cope' in English, while similar in sound, is not etymologically related to 'copar'.