The Spanish word 'cortada' comes from the verb 'cortar' meaning 'to cut', combined with the past participle suffix '-ada'. The verb 'cortar' itself derives from Latin 'curtare' meaning 'to cut or shorten', which in turn comes from the Latin adjective 'curtus' meaning 'short' or 'cut'.

The evolution from Latin to Spanish shows a typical vowel change from 'u' to 'o', and the addition of the feminine past participle ending '-ada' creates the form meaning 'cut' when used as an adjective or noun.

Several common Spanish words share this root, including the basic verb 'cortar' (to cut), 'corte' (cut, or court), 'corto' (short), and 'cortador' (cutter). These all maintain the basic concept of cutting or shortening from their Latin origin.

The Latin root 'curtus' has also given English several related words, including 'curt' (brief or terse in speech), 'curtail' (to cut short or reduce), and 'curtsy' (originally a curtailed or shortened bow). While these English words have evolved to have more specific meanings, they all relate back to the concept of something being cut short.