The Spanish word 'periódico' comes from Latin 'periodicus', which was borrowed from Ancient Greek 'periodikos' (περιοδικός) meaning 'recurring at intervals'. The Greek word was formed from three parts: 'peri-' (περι-) meaning 'around', 'hodos' (ὁδος) meaning 'way or path', and the suffix '-ikos' (-ικός) meaning 'related to'. When combined, these elements created the concept of something that follows a circular path or comes around again and again - hence 'periodic'. In Spanish, while 'periódico' retained this original meaning of 'periodic', it also developed the specific meaning of 'newspaper', likely because newspapers are published at regular intervals.

Some related Spanish words include 'período' (period), which shares the same Greek roots and refers to a specific interval of time. Another related word is 'periodista' (journalist), which is derived from 'periódico' and refers to someone who works for a newspaper or other news media.

English speakers can easily connect 'periódico' to several familiar English words. 'Period' and 'periodic' come from the same Greek roots. The prefix 'peri-' appears in many English words like 'perimeter' (measurement around something), 'periphery' (the outer boundary), and 'periscope' (an instrument for looking around obstacles). The Greek root 'hodos' appears in words like 'method' (a way of doing something) and 'exodus' (a way out).