The Spanish word 'fabada' comes from the Latin word 'faba' meaning 'bean'. In Spanish, the word 'faba' retained its meaning of 'bean', and when combined with the Spanish noun suffix '-ada', it formed 'fabada', which specifically refers to a traditional bean stew. This suffix '-ada' is commonly used in Spanish to create nouns that often indicate a collection or dish made from the base ingredient.

A simpler related Spanish word is 'faba', which simply means 'bean'. While 'faba' refers to the ingredient itself, 'fabada' refers to the hearty stew made primarily with these beans. This is similar to how in English we might have 'beef' and 'beef stew' - the suffix transforms the ingredient into the name of the dish.

While not commonly used in modern English, the word 'fava' (as in 'fava bean') is related, coming from the same Latin root 'faba'. This connection can help English speakers remember that 'fabada' is a dish centered around beans.