The Spanish word 'machista' (meaning 'male chauvinist') comes from combining two elements: 'macho' (meaning 'male') and the suffix '-ista' (meaning 'one who practices or believes in something'). The word 'macho' itself can be traced back to Latin 'masculus' meaning 'male, masculine', which ultimately derives from the Latin root 'mas' meaning 'male'. When these elements combined, they created a term that specifically refers to someone who believes in or practices male chauvinism or excessive masculine pride.

The most obvious related Spanish word is 'macho', which simply means 'male' or 'masculine' and is much more commonly used in everyday Spanish. While 'macho' is a neutral term for describing biological sex or gender, 'machista' took on a more specific and critical meaning to describe someone who believes in male superiority or demonstrates exaggerated masculine pride.

The English word 'macho' was borrowed directly from Spanish and has a similar meaning, though in English it's often used to describe an exaggerated display of masculinity or toughness. English has also borrowed 'machismo' (from Spanish 'machismo') to describe excessive masculine pride or male chauvinism. These words share the same Latin roots 'masculus' and 'mas' with the Spanish 'machista'.