The Spanish word 'favorita' (meaning 'favorite' - feminine) comes from the Spanish word 'favor' combined with the feminine diminutive suffix '-ita'. The Spanish 'favor' itself comes from Latin 'favor', which was derived from the Latin verb 'favere' meaning 'to favor' plus the result suffix '-or'.

The feminine ending '-ita' is a very common Spanish diminutive suffix that adds a sense of smallness, endearment, or intimacy to the base word. In this case, it transforms the abstract noun 'favor' into an adjective meaning 'favored one' or 'favorite' specifically referring to a feminine subject.

The most obvious related Spanish word is the simpler and more common 'favor', meaning 'favor' or 'kindness'. You might hear this in common phrases like 'por favor' (please) or 'hacer un favor' (to do a favor). Another related word is 'favorable', which means the same as in English.

English speakers will recognize many cognates from this word family, all stemming from the same Latin root 'favere'. The most obvious are 'favor' and 'favorite', which have nearly identical meanings to their Spanish counterparts. Other related English words include 'favorable', 'favored', and 'favoritism'. The main difference is that English borrowed these words through French, while Spanish inherited them directly from Latin.