The Spanish word 'través' meaning 'across' or 'through' comes from the Latin word 'transversus', meaning 'turned across' or 'oblique'. This Latin word was formed by combining two parts: the prefix 'trans-' meaning 'across', and 'versus' meaning 'turned', which itself came from the Latin verb 'vertere' meaning 'to turn'. Over time, as the word evolved from Latin to Spanish, it was simplified to 'través' while maintaining its core meaning of movement or position across something.

Several common Spanish words are related to 'través', including 'atravesar' (to cross, to go through), which is directly formed from 'través' with the prefix 'a-'. The common phrase 'a través de' meaning 'through' or 'by means of' also uses this word. Another related word is 'travesía' meaning 'crossing' or 'journey', which shows how the basic idea of crossing or going across has been maintained in various forms.

English speakers might recognize the connection to words like 'traverse' (to cross over), 'transverse' (lying across), and even 'versatile' (able to turn to many uses). All these words share the same Latin roots with 'través': 'trans-' (across) and 'vertere' (to turn). The word 'verse' (as in poetry) is also related, as it originally referred to the 'turning' of the line at the end of a written row.