The Spanish verb 'descalzar' (meaning 'to remove shoes') comes from the Latin verb 'discalceare', which had the same meaning. The Latin word was formed by combining two elements: the prefix 'dis-' meaning 'away' or 'apart', and the verb 'calceare' meaning 'to put on shoes'. This combination literally meant 'to un-shoe' or 'to do the opposite of putting on shoes'.

The evolution from Latin 'discalceare' to Spanish 'descalzar' followed regular sound changes, with the Latin prefix 'dis-' becoming 'des-' in Spanish, a very common prefix change between these languages.

Some related Spanish words include 'calzar' (to put on shoes/to fit), 'calzado' (footwear), and 'descalzo' (barefoot). All these words share the same Latin root related to shoes and footwear. The prefix 'des-' in 'descalzar' and 'descalzo' indicates removal or absence, while forms without this prefix relate to wearing or putting on footwear.

While English doesn't have direct cognates of 'descalzar', there are some related words that come from the same Latin root, such as 'calx' (the heel bone) and medical terms like 'calcaneus' (heel bone). These words all trace back to the Latin word for heel or foot covering. The English prefix 'dis-' (as in 'disconnect' or 'dismantle') is related to the 'des-' in 'descalzar', both coming from Latin 'dis-' meaning 'apart' or 'away'.