The Spanish verb 'dotar' (meaning 'to endow') comes from the Latin verb 'dotare' with the same meaning. This Latin verb was derived from 'dos, dotis', which meant 'dowry' - the property or money brought by a bride to her marriage. Over time, the meaning broadened from specifically referring to marriage dowries to include any kind of endowment or provision of resources.

Some related Spanish words include 'dote' (dowry), 'dotación' (endowment, allocation), and 'dotal' (relating to a dowry). These words all share the same Latin root and maintain connections to the concepts of providing resources or endowing something with value.

English speakers might recognize the connection to words like 'dowry' and 'endow/endowment', which share similar meanings and ultimately trace back to the same Latin roots. The word 'dower' (an old term for a widow's share of her deceased husband's estate) also comes from this Latin source. While these English words took a slightly different path through Old French, they maintain the core meaning of providing or bestowing resources.