The Spanish word 'pollito' meaning 'little chicken' or 'chick' comes from combining the Spanish word 'pollo' (meaning 'chicken') with the diminutive suffix '-ito'. The word 'pollo' itself derives from the Latin word 'pullus', which meant 'young bird' or 'chick'. The diminutive suffix '-ito' is commonly used in Spanish to indicate something small or endearing.

The most obvious related Spanish word is 'pollo', which means 'chicken'. While 'pollo' refers to chickens in general or chicken meat, adding the diminutive suffix '-ito' creates 'pollito', specifically referring to a baby chicken or chick. This is a great example of how Spanish uses diminutive suffixes to modify meaning.

While English doesn't have any common modern words directly related to 'pollito', we do see the Latin root 'pullus' in some specialized English terms. For example, the scientific term 'pullet' (meaning a young hen) comes from the same Latin root. The word 'poultry' is also distantly related, having evolved from the same Latin source through Old French.