The Spanish verb 'reprimir' (meaning 'to repress' or 'restrain') comes from the Latin verb 'reprimere', which meant 'to hold back' or 'restrain'. The Latin word was formed by combining two elements: the prefix 're-' meaning 'back' or 'again', and the verb 'premere' meaning 'to press' or 'oppress'. When these elements came together, they created the concept of pressing back or holding something back, which evolved into the modern Spanish meaning of repressing or restraining.

Some related Spanish words that share the same Latin root 'premere' include 'comprimir' (to compress), 'exprimir' (to squeeze), 'oprimir' (to oppress), and the simpler word 'primir' (to press). All these words carry the basic concept of pressing or applying pressure, with different prefixes modifying the specific meaning. The 're-' in 'reprimir' specifically indicates the action of pressing back or suppressing.

English speakers might recognize the connection to words like 'repress', 'suppress', and 'press', which all come from the same Latin root 'premere'. The English word 'repress' is a particularly close cousin to Spanish 'reprimir', as both descended from Latin 'reprimere' and maintain very similar meanings. Other related English words include 'compress', 'express', 'impress', and 'oppress' - all sharing the core meaning of pressing in different ways.