The Spanish word 'sortilegio' (meaning 'spell' or 'enchantment') comes from Medieval Latin 'sortilegium' meaning 'divination by lots.' This Medieval Latin term was derived from the Latin word 'sortilegus' meaning 'fortune-teller,' which itself was a compound of two Latin words: 'sors' meaning 'lot' or 'fate,' and 'legere' meaning 'to read.' So literally, a 'sortilegus' was someone who 'read lots' or 'read fate,' reflecting the ancient practice of fortune-telling through the casting of lots or similar divinatory objects. Over time, the meaning broadened from specifically referring to divination by lots to encompass spells and enchantments in general.

A related Spanish word is 'suerte,' which comes from the same Latin root 'sors' (fate, lot). While 'sortilegio' refers to magical spells, 'suerte' has taken on the more common meaning of 'luck' or 'fortune.' You can see how both words maintain a connection to the idea of fate and destiny from their Latin origin.

The English word 'sort' is actually related to 'sortilegio,' as it also comes from Latin 'sors.' While today we use 'sort' primarily to mean 'to arrange' or 'to classify,' this meaning evolved from the practice of casting lots to separate things into different groups or categories. Another related English word is 'sorcery,' which, like 'sortilegio,' refers to magic and spells, and ultimately traces back to the same Latin root 'sors.'