The Spanish word 'mira' meaning 'sight' or 'aim' comes from the Spanish verb 'mirar' (to look at), which in turn derives from the Latin verb 'mirari' meaning 'to wonder at'. The noun was formed by adding the Spanish nominal suffix '-a' to the verb stem. This development shows an interesting semantic shift from the concept of wondering or marveling at something in Latin to the more concrete meaning of looking at or viewing in Spanish.

The verb 'mirar' is a very common Spanish word that every beginner learns early on, meaning 'to look at' or 'to watch'. Other related words include 'el mirador' (a viewpoint or observation deck), 'el mirón' (an onlooker or spectator), and the command form '¡mira!' which is frequently used to mean 'look!' or 'hey!'.

While not immediately obvious, the English words 'mirror', 'miracle', and 'admire' are related to 'mira', all coming from the same Latin root 'mirari'. A mirror is something you look at; a miracle was originally something that made people wonder; and to admire originally meant to wonder at something, though it has evolved to mean having a positive regard for something or someone.