The Spanish verb 'encoger' (meaning 'to shrink' or 'to contract') comes from combining the prefix 'en-' (meaning 'inward') with the verb 'coger' (meaning 'to catch' or 'to take'). The verb 'coger' itself derives from the Latin word 'colligere', which meant 'to collect' or 'to gather'. This Latin word was formed by combining two elements: the prefix 'com-' (meaning 'together') and the verb 'legere' (meaning 'to gather' or 'to choose').

The semantic evolution from 'gathering together' to 'shrinking' makes intuitive sense - when something shrinks, its parts are drawn together or gathered inward, much like collecting items into a single place.

The most common related Spanish word is 'coger', meaning 'to catch' or 'to take'. This basic verb is used frequently in Spanish (though be careful as it has vulgar connotations in some Latin American countries). Other related words include 'recoger' (to pick up, collect), 'escoger' (to choose), and 'acoger' (to welcome, receive) - all of which share the base verb 'coger' and ultimately connect to the idea of gathering or taking.

Several English words share the same Latin root 'legere'. These include 'collect' (from 'colligere', the same word that gave us 'coger'), 'elect' (originally meaning 'to choose out'), 'select' (to choose), and 'intelligent' (originally meaning 'choosing between'). The common thread among these words is the concept of gathering or choosing, which comes from the Latin 'legere'.