The Spanish verb 'pestañear' (to blink) is derived from the Spanish noun 'pestaña' (eyelash) combined with the verbal suffix '-ear'. This is a straightforward derivation where the action verb describes the movement of the eyelashes during blinking.

The most obvious related Spanish word is 'pestaña' (eyelash), which is actually simpler and more common than the verb 'pestañear'. When learning 'pestañear', it helps to remember that it literally means 'to do something with the eyelashes', which is exactly what happens when we blink!

There aren't any closely related English words that share the same etymology as 'pestañear' or 'pestaña'. The English words for these concepts ('blink' and 'eyelash') come from different Germanic roots.