The Spanish word 'soldadito' meaning 'little soldier' has an interesting connection to money in its Latin roots. It comes from the Latin word 'solidus', which was a gold coin in ancient Rome. This evolved into 'solidatus' meaning 'paid in gold coins', reflecting how soldiers were compensated for their service. This term eventually developed into the Spanish word 'soldado' meaning 'soldier'. The diminutive suffix '-ito' was then added to create 'soldadito', meaning 'little soldier'.

This etymology reveals why we call military personnel 'soldiers' - they were originally people who received their payment in solid gold coins!

The most obvious related Spanish word is 'soldado' (soldier), which is simply 'soldadito' without the diminutive suffix. Another related term is 'sueldo' meaning 'salary' or 'wages', which also traces back to the Latin 'solidus', maintaining the connection to payment and coins.

The English word 'soldier' is closely related to 'soldadito', as both come from the same Latin root 'solidus'. The English word 'solid' also comes from this same Latin root, originally referring to the solid gold coins used for payment. Even our word 'salary' is related, as it shares the concept of payment for services, though it specifically comes from 'sal' (salt), as Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt.