The Spanish word 'pantufla' (meaning 'slipper') comes from the French word 'pantoufle', which has the same meaning. The French word was formed by combining two elements: 'pat-' meaning 'foot or paw' and the suffix '-oufle' which indicated a covering. So literally, a 'pantoufle' was something that covers the foot, which perfectly describes what a slipper does.

While 'pantufla' itself is a relatively common Spanish word for slipper, there aren't many simpler or more common Spanish words that share its specific French etymology. However, Spanish speakers might encounter this word's diminutive form 'pantuflo' or the plural forms 'pantuflas/pantuflos'.

While English doesn't have any direct cognates of 'pantufla', the French root 'pat-' (meaning foot) appears in several English words. For example, 'patter' (the sound of feet), 'patrol' (originally meaning to walk around), and 'paw' all share this connection to feet or walking. The English word 'slipper' took a different etymological path, coming from the verb 'to slip'.