The Spanish verb 'estrenar' (to use for the first time) comes from the Latin word 'strena', which meant 'good omen' or 'New Year's gift'. This evolved into the Spanish noun 'estrena', meaning 'first use' or 'inaugural gift'. The verb was then formed by adding the common Spanish verb suffix '-ar' to 'estrena', creating 'estrenar'.

This etymology shows an interesting semantic development from the concept of a New Year's gift or good omen in Latin to the more general meaning of using something for the first time in Spanish. This makes sense since a New Year's gift would often be something new that needed to be used for the first time.

A related Spanish word is the noun 'estreno', which refers to a premiere or debut (like a movie premiere). This comes from the same root and maintains the connection to the concept of something being presented or used for the first time. You might see phrases like 'el estreno de la película' (the movie premiere) or 'vestido de estreno' (a brand new dress, being worn for the first time).

While there aren't any common English words directly related to 'estrenar', the concept of New Year's gifts from the Latin 'strena' survived in some Romance languages. For example, the French word 'étrennes' still refers specifically to New Year's gifts or holiday gratuities, preserving the original Latin meaning more closely than Spanish does.