The Spanish word 'refugio' (meaning 'refuge' or 'shelter') comes from the Latin word 'refugium', which meant 'a place of refuge'. The Latin word was formed by combining three elements: the prefix 're-' meaning 'back' or 'again', the verb 'fugere' meaning 'to flee', and the suffix '-ium' which indicated a result or place. When these combined, 'refugere' literally meant 'to flee back', and with the '-ium' suffix, 'refugium' came to mean 'a place to flee back to' - in other words, a safe haven or shelter.

Some related Spanish words include 'fugarse' (to escape or run away), 'fugitivo' (fugitive), and 'fuga' (escape, leak). All these words share the same Latin root 'fugere' meaning 'to flee', making it easier to remember that 'refugio' is related to the concept of fleeing to safety.

English speakers can easily connect 'refugio' to several similar English words like 'refuge', 'refugee', and 'fugitive'. All these words share the same Latin ancestry. The word 'refuge' is particularly close in both meaning and form to the Spanish 'refugio'. Even the English word 'centrifuge' contains the same root 'fug-', though in this case it refers to 'fleeing from the center' in a spinning motion.